


save me (the last dance)

by voluptuous_volus



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, And a little bit of angst, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2020-08-13 17:43:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20178226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voluptuous_volus/pseuds/voluptuous_volus
Summary: “Do you know anyone willing to piss off our school’s new power couple?”Landon paused. Then like a madman, he started to laugh.“I have the perfect candidate.”Josie saw the picture, exhaled for a second, then cursed herself for even thinking about it. She slowly came to the realization that there wasn’t anyone left, or anyone who ticked all of her desired qualities…except for the girl in the file. The picture seemed to glare up at her, an arrogant, mocking smile playing around her thin mouth.“She’d say yes,” said Landon, grinning. “You know she would.”Josie closed her eyes. Penelope Park? No way. Absolutely not.  Lizzie would roast her alive.ORJosie needs a date for Miss Mystic Falls and Penelope is more than happy to help.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is part 1 of 6. 
> 
> Enjoy.

**JOSIE**

Students stared shamelessly at Josie as she approached the commons area with her twin. She had expected an upswing of gaping she would have to endure after all the drama surrounded her and Lizzie this term, but she did not enjoy the sensation of standing in a very literal bright spotlight. She shielded her eyes, tapping Lizzie on the shoulder.

“What’s this for?” She gestured to the overhead light producing a strong narrow beam of light directly at her. “And the tables, chairs, and uh is that a helium tank?”

“Miss Mystic Falls is in two days, remember?” said Lizzie brightly.

“Oh.” The realization hit Josie like a brick. “We’re still going stag right?”

The pinky promise they made when they were thirteen flashed across her mind. Even though Lizzie was kidding then by the way she laughed, Josie remembered letting out a sigh of relief, knowing that there was no way she could find a date for Miss Mystic Falls, seeing as everyone she liked held an obvious torch for her twin.

The world had a pretty good sense of humor. This she realized now when she remembered thirteen-year-old Lizzie giving her word.

“Of course, I don’t even want to join the pageant.” Lizzie held her pinky finger and like an idiot, Josie believed every word her twin said. “And it’s not like taking Hope as my date is an option.”

Now, Lizzie looked like a deer caught in the headlights. She looked guilty; her eyes were fixated on the wall behind Josie.

“I can’t, Jo. I promised Hope I’ll be her date.” Lizzie said softly. “I’ll see you later okay?”

“Right,” said Josie.

She felt a strange twinge of annoyance as Lizzie walked away, her long blonde hair swaying behind her. Josie watched from afar as Lizzie made a beeline towards Hope, startling the red-haired girl with a fierce hug. Josie had become so used to her twin’s presence over the last few days, just her and Lizzie binge-watching Gossip Girl in their room, that she had almost forgotten that her twin… had been secretly dating her best friend for almost four months now.

Hope whirled and kissed Lizzie passionately. It felt like a punch in the gut. Then Josie blinked and looked around: she was surrounded by people watching her intently, waiting for her reaction.

“Josie!” said a familiar voice from behind her.

“MG,” said Josie in relief, turning to see the curly-haired boy clutching a thick binder to his chest. The large letters on the front announced Candidates for Miss Mystic Falls. “Do you need me for something?”

“I’m just going to confirm if you still want to help me be the coordinator for the event,” said MG shortly.

Just then, Lizzie giggled loudly. Josie instinctively turned around and found her best friend playfully fastening a corsage on her twin’s hand. Red clouded her vision.

“Josie?”

“Sorry–I–”

People ended their tasks to get a better look at the couple. Hope giggled when Lizzie draped a sash on her shoulder and it seemed to increase the intensity of the gazes from the onlookers. Someone exclaimed that Hope was the best pageant contender, and with Lizzie in tow, they could get anything they want. Smirking slightly, Lizzie kissed her girlfriend full on the mouth.

The couple looked so smug. It was all too much. Josie wanted to die on the spot.

Every bit of bitter thought that Josie had for the past months seemed to bubble up, pouring out of her; her frustration for not realizing that her twin and her best friend held a torch for each other, the hurt that Lizzie and Hope did not even bother to tell her about them dating until she caught them kissing in the library, and her fury after knowing that everyone had known she was being except her.

All of these feelings she buried resurfaced and the next thing she knew she was blurting out:

“I’m joining the pageant.” 

She conjured up in her mind looking at her twin and her best friend rubbing that Miss Mystic Falls crown to their faces. She exhaled, it felt more than good. 

It felt cathartic.

“As a candidate?” said MG, looking very surprised. “Oh. Okay.”

Josie laughed uncomfortably. 

“I’ve always wanted to join, you know?”

“Right,” said MG, scribbling and crossing out plans on his binder. “And your date is?”

“How about we keep it as a surprise?” said Josie, but her mind was racing.

Josie didn’t know anyone who would want to go as her date. Rafael popped on her mind, but she easily dismissed the idea knowing Lizzie would realize right away that taking the boy was nothing but her way to settle a score. She wasn’t that petty. She wasn’t that pathetic. No, she wouldn’t ask her twin’s ex to be her date…no matter how desperate and angry she felt.

Who would go out with her though?

“You could ask me,” said MG sympathetically, as though reading her mind.

“I already have a date silly,” Josie faked-giggled, then cringed inside. “Trust me, when you see my date…She’s perfect.”

“She?” MG stood straight, interested. “Just make sure that she shows up for the formal dinner later.”

“That’s tonight?!” piped Josie. “I uh –thought—the committee moved it tomorrow.”

“Well we_ didn’t,_” said MG. He patted her shoulder, heaving a comforting sigh. “All this drama made you distracted, huh? Please tell your date that she’s needed for tonight. Okay?”

“Sure,” mumbled Josie as soon MG made his way back to the foyer. The thought of finding a date before nightfall sent her heart running wild. “All I need to do is find a date.”

The execution of this idea, however, came to nothing: the pickings were pretty slim. The pool was down to the kinds of girls who saw her as the ‘not eccentric’ Saltzman twin. No matter how pissed she was at Lizzie, she wasn’t exactly the kind of person who would go that low just to hurt her. Salvatore Boarding School wasn’t exactly packed with her type anyway, but then again she had to find somebody. She didn’t want to take back her lie and be the only pageant girl without a date.

As panic coursed through her, she pulled out the students’ file and started flipping through the pages one by one; looking for anyone who was good looking enough to be eye-candy and smart enough not to reveal she was called in to play a part in a secret vendetta. First, she looked through the seniors but none of them fit the bill. The juniors were a no-go since she knew she didn't have much of a chance with them either.

Landon Kirby, who suddenly materialized behind her, sighed loudly on her ear. He was supposed to help MG double-check the list of students coming from Mystic Falls High, but Josie had an inkling he didn’t want to spend time watching his ex-girlfriend neck Lizzie in the library.

“If you want, I’d go with you,” he said, finally sat on the desk beside her.

“I already have a date.”

“Honestly, Josie. You and I both know why you’re doing this,” Landon whispered conspiratorially, looking between bookshelves to check for possible eavesdroppers. “Take me as your date.”

Josie considered it for a moment. But then again, Landon was foolish enough to transfer to a private school just to spend more time with Hope. Looked at how that turned out. So, she figured, he didn’t exactly fit the ‘smart’ category.

“Lizzie’s going to think that I’m using you to hurt her and Hope,” muttered back Josie. There was no need to lie since Landon seemed like the last person who’d talk to Lizzie and Hope.

“Isn’t that the point?” asked Landon, scratching his head.

“The point is Landon,” Josie fumed irritably. “I have to do this discreetly. Otherwise, Lizzie’s going to outright know I still hate her for not telling me that they’ve been secretly dating for months. Taking you as my date is a big red flag.”

Landon looked disappointed.

“At least let me help you or something,” pleaded Landon.

Josie flipped through the pages once more and sighed.

“Do you know anyone willing to piss off our school’s new power couple?”

Landon paused. Then like a madman, he started to laugh.

“Not from this school.”

“What are you suggesting?”

He riffled the pages of his binder, until finally tearing off one. Still amused, he brandished a student’s file in front of her eyes.

“I have the perfect candidate.”

Josie saw the picture, exhaled for just a second, then cursed under her breath for even thinking about it. She slowly realized that there wasn’t anyone left and ticked all of her desired qualities…except for the girl in the file. The picture seemed to smirk up at her, an arrogant, mocking smile playing on her thin mouth.

“She’d say yes,” said Landon, grinning. “You know she would.”

Josie closed her eyes. Penelope Park? No way. Absolutely not. Lizzie would roast her alive.

“I’ll give you her number just in case.”

Josie gulped heavily. “I’ll think about it.”

Despite the very obvious plan of Lizzie to make amends for ditching her in front of everyone, Josie was in no mood to spend time with her twin. She spent the rest of her morning in the kitchen as much as possible along with everyone else. Salvatore was hardly less crowded now that students who weren’t participating in the pageant were given free time, but it seemed to become rowdier too, as the remaining students were breaking down the betting odds on who would likely be crowned as the new Miss Mystic Falls.

Jed Park had a great success creating a betting pool, and for the first couple of early morning hours, people kept wagering on Hope. By ten o’clock, everyone already knew that Josie joined into the pageant fray. Josie learned that anyone smiling at her should be approached extreme caution, in case they were those students who had taken a liking for bombarding her with silly pageant questions. She made a mental note never to talk so much to the freshmen in the future. She still hadn’t forgotten that they ambushed her in the loo just to ask her strategy for winning the pageant.

“Jo!” Lizzie appeared right next to her, cornering her in the common’s area. Hope was hovering behind her, biting her lip. “Who are you going to the pageant with?”

Lizzie kept springing the same question on her, hoping to startle her into an honest answer by asking it when she least expected it.

Josie frowned and said, “I’m not telling you. It’s a surprise, remember?”

"You don’t have one, Saltzman!” shouted Jed, trailing behind them. Jed had developed a habit of springing whenever the three of them were in the vicinity, probably just to watch them bite each other’s heads off. “MG told me you didn’t put a name.”

Josie and Lizzie both whipped around irritably, but Hope waved to somebody over Jed’s shoulder and called, “Hello, Headmaster! Are you aware of the existence of a betting pool in the school right now?”

Jed looked wildly around for the headmaster, but no one was in sight. Josie took the chance to run up the staircase while Lizzie and Hope were still laughing heartily.

“Josie!” said Hope, catching up with her. She was frowning. “Do you really not have a date?”

“I do, okay?” fumed Josie. “And I already told you it’s a surprise.”

“Is he telling the truth?” Lizzie wrinkled her eyebrows. Josie noticed that it was a very different frown from the one she always had when things went south. Her current expression was all too familiar and more infuriating since it reminded Josie that her twin had a knack for deducing bullshit from a mile away. “Are… are you doing this just to _ spite us _?”

“I’m not,” hissed Josie. “Not everything is about the two of you.”

“Look, Josie. We’re sorry okay?” said Lizzie indignantly. “We didn’t tell that we’ve been dating for months because we know you’re going to act like this.”

“Act like what exactly?” retorted Josie.

“Lizzie,” interrupted Hope anxiously, stepping backward with her fingers over her mouth. “Don’t.”

“Act like a child.”

Josie felt her hands trembled. Hope looked like she wanted to bolt.

“We thought it’s all water under the bridge since you’re talking to me now,” Lizzie continued sourly. “but no, you just had to retaliate by joining the pageant.”

Josie went purple. She stared up at her sister, opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out.

“Don’t make a fool of yourself Jo, please.” Lizzie took a tentative step forward. “Hope and I have always wanted to join but we never told you because we know you’re not really into it.”

“Well then, I’ll just file that under the things I apparently didn’t know about my best friend and my sister!” shouted Josie tartly, storming off.

Lizzie flinched backward and then yelled back, “You better bring that imaginary date Josette! I _ so _ want to meet her.”

Josie recrossed the staircase, dead set on asking her twin’s arch-nemesis to be her date.

When Penelope Park finally answered her call, Josie thought at once that the girl was probably already pulled by other participants. Penelope had always been surrounded by mesmerized girls and it would probably a crime against humanity if the pageant girls didn’t consider her as their arm candy. She was, in all sense and purposes, the kind of girl who wouldn’t mind or avoid all the staring, which seemed to do nothing to her but only boost her already massively inflated ego.

“Josie Saltzman,” said Penelope. Her voice was smooth and soft, and absolutely not trying to hide the fact that she sounded thrilled. “This is such a nice surprise!”

Josie groaned loudly, cringing as her noise made its way over Penelope. She had no idea what to say, except maybe that Penelope’s…her only hope to not look like a fool in front of the whole school? She bumped her head onto the wall with a light thud, exhaling once more as she squirmed with self-pity and embarrassment.

“You sound like you’re in a verge of a mental breakdown,” said Penelope and Josie detected a hint of amusement in her voice as well.

“Landon already told you, did he?”

“Of course he did.” The words were all purr now and Josie hated herself for blushing. This was what Penelope was so good at: make everyone fluster without even trying. Josie was instantly reminded why she never spoke to the girl in the first place. “He said the basics but still I want to know everything.”

As it turned out, Penelope was a good listener. Josie expected Penelope to laugh or at least make fun of her. Penelope never did any of that. Penelope, however, did air ridiculous questions Josie suspected were intended to way to get a rise out of her.

“And now the fun part,” said Penelope, sounding like she was fighting to keep her smile contained. “So, how long have we been together?”

“We’re not dating!” said Josie, her stomach flutters anxiously at the intensity of the question. “You’re just a friend who agreed to go as my date for the pageant. That simple.”

“If you want to take a friend,” scoffed Penelope. “You should have asked MG.”

“Lizzie’s going to laugh at my face if I take MG.”

“Exactly,” said Penelope confidently, once again displaying her knack to infuriate Josie. “How about this? I asked you out during one of those days when you were too busy indulging yourself with ice cream--”

“I didn’t indulge myself with ice cream when they told me about their thing,” said Josie hotly.

“We live in the same town, Josie. I’m pretty sure that you’re Fell’s Ice Cream Parlour customer of the month. There’s no point in denying.”

“Fine,” hissed Josie as she tossed her hair out of her face. Part of her wanted to ask how Penelope knew that, then again it was Penelope Park. She was notorious for knowing every secret in Mystic Falls. “We’re dating. Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” purred Penelope. Josie’s irritation grew a fraction when it became apparent that Penelope was flirting at her. “Just one more question--”

“Yes we can hold hands and no we are not kissing in front of everyone,” said Josie quickly. 

“How about kissing behind closed doors?”

“Penelope,” shot Josie. “There will no kissing involved.”

“This is a very boring fake relationship,” Penelope groaned. 

Josie closed her eyes and mentally count to ten. 

“Do you have more questions?”

Penelope paused, then chuckled under her breath, and went on, “Can I at least tell them that we already had our first kiss? I’m pretty sure Lizzie’s going to _ love _ hearing that.”

Josie choked and Penelope gave in then, laughing at the sound of her floundering over the phone.

“My sister would never ask that,” said Josie, scandalized.

Penelope hummed and then said, “I’m sure it will come up Jojo.”

Josie tried to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat at the mention of the pet name.

“Just come to the school later, okay? The judges need to see us together.” deflected Josie, raking her hand through her hair in frustration. She had never wielded little control of any conversation before. “Don’t be late.”

“Hold up, I’m still thinking if I want to go as your date or not.” Penelope was obviously teasing. There was no way in hell she’d pass up a chance to wreak havoc in Salvatore’s School. Much less ruin Lizzie’s night.

“Seriously?” asked Josie, covering her eyes with a hand. “You're playing hard to get?”

“Now now,” Penelope said playfully. “You’re the one who needs me, remember?”

“If I say please will you say yes?” Josie begged.

“Answer my question,” purred Penelope, persistent. The room seemed more suffocating than before. She could feel her stomach fluttering again, reminding herself to relax, and wishing that Penelope would stop talking to her like that. “And I’ll yes.”

Josie gulped heavily.

“You can tell my sister that we had our first kiss,” Josie groaned. Then out of nowhere, the dimmest part of her mind suggested something she knew would make her sister’s blood boil. “But tell her that I kissed you first.”

“Oh Josie, _ you’re bad,_” said Penelope devilishly.

Josie slammed the phone down, pretending that Penelope’s words didn’t make her face burn.

There was a feeling of anticipation in the air that late afternoon. Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival of the participants from various schools in Mystic Falls. When the bell rang, Josie ran into the entrance hall and lined up along with everyone in front of the school. She stood between MG and Landon in the front, saw Lizzie smirking at her, who was positively shivering with anticipation as she mouthed, _ I’m waiting for your date. _

“I may or may not have hinted that you’re actually dating um… your date,” whispered Landon as he caught sight of Lizzie’s smug grin. “So everyone’s anticipating about that too.”

Josie, whose attention had been completely focused on finding Penelope in the incoming crowd, now noticed that many students were eagerly looking at her and back to Lizzie, probably excited from the likelihood of a throw down.

“Landon,” sighed Josie.

“I just wanted to see Lizzie’s reaction to that,” sputtered Landon. “I didn’t know that telling her is telling the whole school.”

Josie groaned. Yeah, Landon wasn’t smart. 

“At least tell me that seeing her reaction was worth it or something.”

“She laughed at my face and called me an idiot.”

“Of course she did.”

Josie was starting to feel cold. She wished the students from Mystic Falls High would hurry up…

“They’re here!” yelled Pedro, pointing over the gate. “Mystic Falls’ students are here!”

All eyes were on Josie now. She could practically feel the penetrating gaze from her sister, holding her girlfriend’s hand who was watching the crowd impatiently. The front row of students drew backward as the clunky yellow bus careered inside— then, with a screeching halt that made MG jump backward on Landon’s feet, the bus rested off in front of the fountain. A second later, students had emerged and were now making a beeline in front of the headmaster.

While the headmasters exchanged pleasantries, Josie noticed that her dad beckoned forward one of the girls, then sought someone from the crowd. For a moment, Josie thought her dad was pointing at her until MG sprang to his feet and waved his binder around. The girl whirled and Josie caught a glimpse of piercing hazel eyes. She moved away from her schoolmates with a saunter of unshakable confidence.

Instead of acknowledging MG, Penelope Park stopped in front of her and then pecked her cheek. It was the gentlest, lightest of touches, yet Josie felt something course inside her like fire. 

“Hey Jojo,” purred Penelope, a flirtatious smile dancing on her lips. “Ready to get this pageant started?”

Somewhere behind her, she heard Lizzie sputtered:

_“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”_


	2. chapter 2

“I can’t believe it!” Lizzie said, in a stunned voice, as the Mystic Falls High students filed up the steps.

“Penelope, Hope! Penelope Park!”

“For heaven’s sake, Lizzie, it’s not a big deal,” said Hope.

“Not a big deal?” Lizzie said, looking at her as though she couldn’t believe what she just heard. “Hope— she’s the devil incarnate! She’s dragging my sister to enter the gates of hell with her.”

Hope snorted.

As they walk back to the commons area, Lizzie saw several girls frantically searching their pockets as they walked.

“Josie’s dating Penelope Park, what a lucky girl —”

“No one in their right mind would date Josie… _She’s too boring_.”

“Should get my money back and bet on them instead?”

“_Really_,” Lizzie hissed as they passed the seniors, now squabbling for Jed to take their new wagers.

They walked over to the stairs and sat down. Lizzie took care to sit on the top, facing the podium because Josie and Penelope gathered around on its back, looked unsure about where they should sit. As she watched, Penelope bent forward to speak to her twin.

“Satan’s smarming up to her, Hope,” said Lizzie scathingly. “And Josie’s too innocent to realize that she’s selling her soul.”

“I don’t know about innocent,” observed Hope. “Look, _Josie wants to hold hands._”

“Very funny,” said Lizzie darkly, watching her twin fumble to grasp Penelope’s hand.

Just then, Penelope draped her jacket on Josie’s shoulder and whispered something that made her twin’s cheeks burn bright. Penelope grinned, looking smug.

“It’s not that cold,” said Lizzie defensively. “I mean if it is you’d ask for my coat, right?”

“Hmmm,” said Hope vaguely. She was staring at Alaric conversing with the principal from Mystic Falls High.

When everyone had settled down, Alaric stepped onto the podium. The talk and laughter echoing around the room died away.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and most particularly, pageant participants,” said Alaric, beaming around at the crowd. “It’s my great pleasure to welcome you all to Salvatore School. I hope and trust that your experience here will both comfortable and enjoyable.”

Lizzie glanced at Penelope. She was not looking at Alaric as though she found the Headmaster’s words unworthy of her attention.

“She’s so full of herself,” Lizzie settled for a whisper. She could not add more insults, because so many people were trying to listen in to her and Hope, not to mention staring at them and whispering behind their hands. “She’s not even listening to dad. Who’s, you know, the most important person in the room right now.”

“That’s because she’s too busy looking at your twin,” Hope answered back.

“Why do you need to point that out?”

Hope raised her hands. “I’m just observing out loud.”

“Well, do it silently, Hope.”

Hope rolled her eyes playfully and then focused back to Alaric.

“The pageant will be officially opened at the end of the banquet,” said Alaric. “I now invite you all to come to sit with us in the dining hall to eat. Please make yourselves at home!”

“Satan’s still staring at Jo—wait, what?”

“Ceremonial banquet,” interjected Hope quickly before Lizzie could say anything. “I’m pretty sure you’re the one who bribed MG to add that activity to the list. It’s the best way to show camaraderie with the other participants.”

Lizzie let out a loud explosive groan. “What a load of nonsense.”

“Those are your actual words, not mine.” Hope laughed. “Now, wipe that glare off your face and escort me to the dining hall, Ms. Saltzman.”

Lizzie stuck her tongue out.

“You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Hope laughed once more.

As Lizzie sat next to Dr. Brandt, her hand tightened around the wine glass and her mind churned for a plan to win over the old man. She was dropping by to say condolence to the passing of his dog—that’s what she planned to say, anyway. It had sounded convincing, in her head at least, when she and Hope strategized in her room. But now that she was sitting with the other contestants, she wasn’t so sure because… Penelope’s charm was so strong it was drawing the judge in like a moth to a flame.

“…and then when Josie placed fourth in extemporaneous speaking at the Mystic Falls English Tournament last year..."

“As much we want to hear you share my twin’s accolades,” Lizzie interjected sweetly, lacing her fingers under her chin. Josie threw her an annoyed look. “Didn’t you say that Miss Mystic Falls is misogynistic and archaic?”

She wasn’t usually the kind of person who would do something like this, but it was obvious there was no way Penelope would stop gushing about her twin in front of everyone. Dana Lilien, who was seated across her, saw the chance and butt in.

“It’s true,” said Dana and Lizzie wanted to hug her for realizing that Penelope was the biggest threat in the table. “I’m pretty sure you also asked Connor and me to stop enabling it.”

Penelope laughed like it was no big deal.

“I did say that,” Penelope admitted with a casual wave of a hand. “But my girlfriend told me that it’s her dream to join the pageant, so who am I to say no?” Then she turned to Dr. Brandt, smiling. “I’m _so_ glad that the judges finally dismissed the less-than-inclusive entry requirements. I think it’s a step in the right direction. Right, girls?”

Dana nodded and Lizzie repressed her need to kick her under the table. Hope and the rest of the girls just smiled weakly.

“It’s my idea actually,” Dr. Brandt looked proud. “I said to the other judges: Miss Mystic Falls needs a few shifts to match the new societal perspective, so the competition could become a healthier outlet for many women.”

“Josie said the same thing,” Penelope said, her face lighting up. Lizzie almost wanted to call bullshit on that but she wasn’t that sadistic. “She’s a big fan of the pageant.”

Dr. Brandt beamed at Josie.

“It’s nice to know you think highly of this monumental decision!”

For a fleeting moment, Lizzie saw a gleam of something like triumph in Penelope's eyes.

_Damn, she’s good._ Lizzie thought bitterly.

“She’s amazing isn’t she?” interrupted Lizzie staunchly before Penelope could speak. “Dr. Brandt, did you know that Hope _Mikaelson_ organized the restoration of the town hall’s library?”

“Mikaelson you say?” said Dr. Brandt with great interest, looking from Lizzie to Hope, and both of them beamed before his encouraging smile. “Yes…well…It’s comforting to know that you’re following your family’s footsteps. They’re terrific philanthropists! I remember dear Klaus telling me—your father, the renowned artist— that he is willing to sell some of his paintings for the restoration of Fell’s church!”

Lizzie let out a mental sigh of relief as Dr. Brandt meandered off into a long-winded reminiscence with her girlfriend. The afternoon wore on with more stories about the illustrious Mikaelsons Dr. Brandt had ‘befriended’, all of which brought out the pride and warmth from Hope’s eyes.

Lizzie wanted to leave seeing as she knew she did her job well, but couldn’t see how to do so politely. Finally, Dr. Brandt looked around and excused himself to talk to other contestants.

“He knows Dana’s also a participant, right?” said Connor. “He didn’t even acknowledge her.”

Dana slammed her fork down. Her face was shaking with embarrassment.

“My mom will hear about this,” seethed Dana, standing up as she motioned to the contestants to follow her. She turned and led her posse toward the staff table, reaching at the same moment as Dr. Brandt sit next to her mom.

“Knowing Dana’s mom, Dr. Brandt won’t be part of the committee anymore,” Lizzie said to Penelope. “I guess that puts a kink in your plan huh?”

“Good riddance,” said Penelope, who wasn’t listening to a word of Hope and Dr. Brandt’s conversation. “I don’t like that guy.”

“Dr. Brandt is Josie’s best chance at winning,” Lizzie insistent as Josie looked at her with an affronted look.

Penelope waved a dismissive hand.

“Josie’s going to win with or without Dr. Brant.”

“So what’s the point of buttering him up then?” asked Hope curiously.

Penelope leaned in as though she was sharing a secret.

“He’s collateral damage,” she whispered as Josie looked through the crowd to see what had become of Dana.

“I don’t understand.” Lizzie and Hope said at the same time.

“Dr. Brant is…how do I say this lightly? He’s an ass. Then there’s Dana, a threat you shouldn’t underestimate since she’s always sweet with everyone…Well, except whenever someone’s hugging her spotlight. Normally Dana doesn’t care about his ill manners, but when things don’t go her way…” Penelope took a hearty swig of her wine. “I’m sure you can figure out the rest.”

“So you’re saying is that you planned Dr. Brant’s exit,” Hope whispered slowly, drumming her finger on the table cloth as though in deep thought. “And make Dana look bad in front of the other judges… by bragging Josie?!”

“Hey!” Josie said indignantly.

“In my defense, I would have bragged about you in front of any audience.” Penelope winked, causing Josie to look away blushing.

“That’s actually a good plan,” Hope looked impressed. “Well done.”

“Babe, please don’t encourage her.”

Hope raised her hands. “I’m just stating the obvious.” She looked at Dana and sure enough, she was making fool of herself by causing a whispering match with her mom in front of the other judges. “Now, enough about the competition. Josie, why don’t tell us when you two got together?”

“You blackmailed my twin into dating you?” Lizzie glowered at Penelope before her twin could speak. “Jo, blink twice if she’s holding you captive.”

“Actually, your sister’s the one who came at me,” said Penelope, a smile was slowly appearing on her lips.

“Bullshit,” Lizzie hissed. “Josie won’t touch within you ten-foot pole.”

“I wouldn’t bank on that,” Penelope was openly smirking now. “We already kissed.”

“Bullshit,” Lizzie repeated.

Penelope looked as though she was having the best day of her life. There was a devilish smile on her lips that made the hairs on Lizzie’s neck stood.

“She kissed me on our first date.”

Unfortunately, Lizzie had just taken a large mouthful of wine; in her haste to yell at her twin she swallowed too fast and began to choke. Hope furiously tapped her back and her airway seemed to clear at once.

Lizzie slammed her glass down.

“I need some air,” Lizzie gasped. She ran towards the exit and the last thing she heard was Hope muttering an apology.

“So who wants some cake?” Josie called out.

Instead of going back to the dining hall, Lizzie headed for the staircase. Lizzie stood listening to the music and the chatter beyond it, then, slowly with a sigh, started to climb the flight of stairs. She never hated Penelope more than now as she crossed the hallway; each of her steps was punctuated with such force she was surprised it did not echo all over the second floor. What a stupid situation to have landed herself in. She was finally dating the girl of her dreams but her sister was livid about it. Now, Josie was dating her arch-nemesis and essentially was out for vengeance.

On her left, she could hear the scraping of seats and the loud babble of talk. Jed was somewhere in the shadows egging some students to put their money on Josie winning the pageant. Great, she thought bitterly. All she wanted was to win the stupid crown for her girlfriend and the world seemed to conspire against her.

Lizzie lurched, causing her to blindly look for something to lean on. Now she was staring at the dusty hibiscus plant instead of the hallway. Her chest began to heave as stifled giggles made its way to her ears; two freshmen peeking at her state, their whispers indistinguishable, but Lizzie already knew what they were thinking: she was Eccentric Lizzie Saltzman. Sitting in a cold hallway was probably one of the many instances where peculiar habits.

A feeling of bleakness spread through her as she imagined the convoy of Mystic Falls High students driving away from Salvatore and the muffled yells of laughter issuing from whichever seat Penelope was sitting in, where she would be recounting how she embarrassed Lizzie Saltzman in front of everyone…in front of Hope.

Faint music vibrated its way in the hallway.

The introduction ceremony was starting and nobody would care if she wasn’t accompanying Hope…Hope was better off without a partner anyway…

Then she felt her arm being hoisted and a voice overhead said, “What do you think you’re doing?”

Lizzie pushed herself into a more dignified sitting position, hastily wiping the sweat from her face with the back of her hand. She raised her head to look up at Hope.

“We’d better get in the hall, quickly,” Hope said, pulling her up. “Come on, we’ll make it in time if we run.”

“Hope, I think it would be so much better if…. Landon—“

“Nope,” Hope interjected sharply, shaking her head. “None of that, please. We talked about this.”

“He’s clearly a better option if you think about it. He’s smart, good looking enough.” She grumbled. 

Hope threw her a dark look. “He’s not you.”

“So?”

“I thought I was clear when I said that I want the girl of my dreams to be my date for Miss Mystic Falls,” said Hope, causing her to blush fiercely. “I also remember you saying that you’re honored to be my date.”

“I—”

“You and I also agreed that being with each other is the best feeling in the world.”

“Hope, think of it this way—”

“And consequence from Josie be damned as long as we have each other.”

Lizzie groaned. “I can’t believe you’re guilt-tripping me right now.”

“Lizzie, you’re the only reason why agreed to this in the first place. So, please none of the self-pity and wear that sash like we have always wanted when we were kids,” whispered Hope. “Don’t go soft with me now.”

Lizzie grumbled. She stood up, brushing her knees.

Lizzie had always secretly hated being not treated like glass. With all of her issues with her family and herself, she wanted people to see that behind the callous exterior, she was nothing but a girl easily broken, harder to mend. The absurdity of it all was that Hope never treated her like that at all. Hope had always been headstrong, challenged every fiber of her being until she learned to shrug her excessive worrying whenever she was driven on the ground.

Hope was empathic. But she was far from being an enabler. That, among others, Lizzie had always loved about her.

Finally, Lizzie rolled her eyes and said, “Are you done being a sap?”

Hope grinned. “Come on, _girlfriend_.” Four months in, the word could still make her heart flutter. “Come with me.”

Lizzie exhaled loudly; her hand sought Hope in the dark. Hope clasped their hand together, pulling her in a fierce comforting hug.

“We’re going to be so late.”

“Fashionably late,” Lizzie mumbled, earning a smile from her girlfriend.

They reached the dining hall at last and MG tutted at them, throwing their sashes on their hands, begging them to fix themselves first before joining the crowd. For a moment, Lizzie wondered if she looked presentable enough, with the hem of her dress flickered with mud.

As though Hope had read her mind she said, “You look beautiful, Lizzie Saltzman.”

Lizzie turned on the spot and marched straight through the open doors along with the contestants and their dates. The Great Hall, with its long wide staircase, was decorated with dangling golden candles that made the floor sparkle like diamonds. It was all a twinkling blur to Lizzie, however, who was staring only to Hope, and by the time they reached their designated seats, she gave in dropped a kiss on her girlfriend’s forehead, smiling softly.

“Ready to get this pageant started?” Hope whispered.

Instead of answering, she turned to Josie, who sat beside her.

For Hope, she thought determinedly. She imagined seeing the crown atop her girlfriend’s head and the proud look on everyone’s faces…especially on Hope’s absentee father if things went according to plan.

She exhaled, smiling slowly.

It felt more than good.

It felt cathartic.

“You two are _so_ going down,” she whispered.

Penelope sneered, extending her hand, while Josie was busy gaping at her grimy state. 

“May the best person win?” Penelope winced as her hand was crushed by Lizzie.

“May the best couple win.”


	3. chapter 3

When Josie woke up the next morning, it took her a moment to remember why she slept on wearing a dress and a pageant sash. Then the memory of the previous night rolled over her. She turned around and looked for Lizzie’s snoring form— intending to see how her twin was handling the stunt she pulled– only to find that her twin’s bed was empty. 

Josie seethed. Lizzie had obviously slept in Hope’s room.

Josie dressed and went to the kitchen as fast as she could, keen on not responding to the whispers about her. The moment she entered the room, the people who were having breakfast broke into a jovial ruckus. Kaleb and MG clapped vigorously; began treating her like some sort of a rockstar who ‘tamed’ Penelope Park. She didn’t know what to say, but it was either humor them or allow herself to be cornered by Jed, who was babbling about the success of his betting pool because of her rivalry with her twin’s girlfriend. When MG started making obscene kissing noises, she walked determinedly out of the kitchen, pushed the door open, and found herself face-to-face with Hope.

“Thank God you’re here,” Hope practically squealed, jumping up and down in excitement. Hope looked over her shoulder and yelled, “She’s here!” 

“I’m not going to spend my morning with your new best friend,” interjected Josie sourly as the trace of twin’s perfume wafted on her nose. “Slash girlfriend.”

Hope blocked her path. “What are you talking about?”

“Mikaelson, slow down…”

Josie jumped in surprise when Penelope Park lumbered on the corner, carrying a big picnic basket.

“When did the two of you become friends?” Josie blurted out loud, eyeing the two of them curiously.

“Oh we’re not,” Penelope said, earning a playful roll of eyes from Hope. “She ambushed me at the Grill and demanded that we should all eat breakfast together.”

Josie shivered; that sounded like a bad idea.

“But I already—”

“She’s trying to make amends with you in behalf of her sister,” Penelope said to Josie in stage whispers. From the corner of her eyes, Hope looked expectant. “And she did say that Lizzie’s not going to join us.” 

“We’re just going to have breakfast, that’s it,” Hope practically begged. “I have coffee and banana cream pie… Please, Josie?”

Josie shrugged, allowing herself to be steered out of the school.

They were soon sitting on the edge of the pond, under a birch tree that offered them reprieve from the blazing sun. To her immense relief, Hope did not mention Lizzie at all. She gossiped about the school counselor’s secret affair with their history teacher and something about Raf’s secret stash of weed hidden somewhere in the woods.

“So,” Hope began slowly as they exhausted every possible conversation they could have without mentioning Lizzie. “When exactly did you do it?”  
Josie stabbed her dessert. “Do what?” 

“Date Penelope!” whispered Hope delightedly. Josie got the feeling Hope was dying to ask the question since last night. On her right, Josie saw Penelope grinning wickedly at her. “Come on, Josie. One does not date Penelope Park out and not tell anyone about it.”

Penelope was overcome with such a strong fit of the giggles she had to excuse herself, mumbling about drying her coffee-stained jacket. 

“I…it’s just happened out of blue.” deflected Josie instantly as she was unable to conjure a lie that would satisfy the curiosity on Hope’s eyes. “I didn’t do anything spectacular.”

“Always so modest,” Hope looked mightily impressed. “You wrote her a song? I bet you did.”

Josie almost choked on her pie. “I’d rather die than let Penelope know I sing.”

“Played her your ukulele?”

Josie glared at her. “That better not be a euphemism.”

“Well then stop making me guess, Josie,” Hope whined as though her life depended on it. “Or I’ll continue to spew out more romantic gestures we both know you and Penelope are a sucker for.”

“We are talking about the same Penelope, right? The Penelope Park who almost died of laughing when Raf made you a poem?” Josie asked, remembering the open mic at the Grill that made everyone laughed, but nobody laughed harder than Penelope Park. 

Josie recalled Penelope screaming of mirth that night. Penelope laughed so hard she had to clutch her sides, gasping for breath as she excused herself out. The poems itself wasn’t that bad, Josie thought then, but she was also certain that there was no other reason for Penelope’s sudden asthma attack.

“Penelope’s just jealous no one recited bad poetry for her,” Hope said, making the both of them grin. “Josie, please spill something. At least tell me about your dates.” 

“Hope, um—”

“What did Penelope plan for your first date?” Hope steamrolled and started tapping her fingertips together. She looked seriously invested in knowing more about Josie’s fake relationship. It was nauseatingly endearing. “Did she go all out or you two just had a cheesy candlelight dinner at the Grill? I want to think that Penelope would go for that but we all know her. That’s not her style.”

Josie nodded hastily because she felt that it was the best course of action.

“But then again as much as she puts up a bitchy exterior she’s always soft around you.”

“She’s what now?” 

“She just baked you a pie. Stop acting naïve,” Hope stirred her coffee, almost scoffing with exasperation. “What? You thought I did that for you?”

Josie laughed, even though the idea of Penelope waking up early just to whiff her favorite food made her blush.

“Come on, Hope. Penelope Park doesn’t know how to bake.” 

“Ah yeah, she does. She baked this when I told her your morning isn’t complete without a banana cream pie.” Hope practically vibrated with glee. “Okay, so you finding out just now that she could bake means you two didn’t go to that fancy Lockwood baking class.”

“Yeah, Penelope probably didn’t want to flex um…her culinary prowess.”

Hope cooed. “She’s so down-to-earth with you.”

“I…guess?”

“She took you on a romantic trip to the lake?”

“We’re both afraid of bugs.”

“Well, what could it be?” Hope crossed her arms, looking serious. “Wait, are you the one who planned the first date?”

“Sure,” Josie lied easily, playing along.

“Josie!” Hope squealed so loud Josie wanted to cover her ears. “I’ve always known you have a big fat crush on Penelope I didn’t know you’d actually act on it!”

“Whoa, stop right there! I don’t have a big fat crush—”

“Ah yeah, you do! Everybody knows.”

“I don’t…”

“Mikaelson! Stop bothering Josie,” a voice yelled from afar.

Josie calmed down when she spotted Penelope sauntering back towards them. She abandoned the notion of drying her jacket. Instead, she opted to wrap it around her waist; exposing a sliver of skin that made Josie gulp heavily. A beam of sunlight kissed Penelope’s neck just right and her conversation with Hope vanished from her mind, replaced by the image of the raven-haired girl which spun her into some sort of a daydream. 

“She wasn’t bothering me,” Josie said, doing her best to ignore Hope who was openly smiling at her flustered behavior. More to stop Hope from smiling than anything, she hurriedly added, “We were just catching up.”

“Good to know. The last thing I want this morning is a throw down,” deadpanned Penelope, Josie wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not. 

“Yeah, we all know Penelope Park can kick my ass,” chuckled Hope, she checked her watch and stood up to brush her lap. “As much as I want to continue this, my girlfriend is probably awake.”

Penelope and Josie both groaned. The mental image of Lizzie scowling at her made her feel less muddled.

“Fine. No more word about her.” Hope raised her hands in surrender. She hugged Josie and whispered. “I’m so glad that you’re the one who made the first move.” 

“Um…me too,” she said. 

Hope grinned. “Enjoy your morning lovebirds.”

Josie saw Hope glance at them softly as she went back to the school. 

“You okay?” asked Penelope, her voice was lazy and slow. Now that Hope was gone, the atmosphere seemed to have become strangely airless. 

Josie cleared her throat. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Penelope raised her eyebrow. “You tell me. You’re the one acting so flustered all of a sudden.” 

“Did you actually bake this?” Josie deflected, pointing at the empty pan that was once holding a banana cream pie.

“Why do you sound so surprised?” Penelope sounded annoyed. 

“Penelope Park’s baking for me? What’s next?” Josie sniggered. “Are you going to ask for my immortal soul?”

“Jojo,” Penelope suddenly said and her tone gone soft. “Your twin’s mad at you for putting your needs over her own. I was just trying to do something nice.”

Josie looked at the ground, caught a glimpse of herself in the pond, realizing she looked like someone who looked guiltily embarrassed. “Oh… that’s sweet.”

Penelope stepped forward. “But if you want to give me your soul as a thank you, I would be very okay with that,” she whispered, her sultry voice grazing Josie’s ear in a way that made Josie shiver. 

Josie felt her face going red.

“Penelope,” she chastised once she recovered. 

Penelope looked smugger than before. 

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” chuckled Penelope genially, slapping her on her arm. “Come on, dance rehearsal’s starting.”

“J-Just so you know, the crust’s too soft!” Josie yelled, jogging after her. “It's not even that good!”

Mrs. Lilien patted the speaker and it crackled with the most horrendous string rendition of Just Dance Josie had ever heard. Everyone seemed to agree since no one bothered to hide the crinkle on their noses. 

“The dance is all about the simple intimacy of the near-touch,” said Mrs. Thompson, eyeing Penelope’s hands as they were around Josie’s waist.   
Penelope visibly deflated. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Penelope whispered, grudgingly put her arms behind her waist, and then fake-smiled at Mrs. Thompson as the woman nodded at their direction. “This is the death of feminism.”

“It’s a tradition. Don’t be a hater,” defended Josie. 

When Penelope quirked her eyebrow in question, Josie felt her ears grew hot. 

“I like the dance, okay? It’s traditional.”

“It’s boring.”

“It’s _romantic_.”

Wrong move, she thought as Penelope stood straighter. Penelope’s smirk reminded Josie of a shark smelling blood in the water. 

“If that’s the case…” Penelope bowed with a cheeky smile Josie felt the heat on her ears spread up the back of her neck. “Dance with me ms. Saltzman?”

Josie curtsied back, rolling her eyes.

“Hand’s up!”

The dance wasn’t as bad as it could have been, Josie thought, as she revolved slowly on the spot. Despite that, Josie didn’t find it easy to dance with Penelope. It wasn’t easy at all because Penelope was being…Penelope, and as the moment progressed, Josie wished they were dancing something else. 

Penelope’s fleeting touches at the small of her back sent shivers across her spine. She leaned into Josie, ghosting her lips on her cheeks, looked at her as though she didn’t see anyone else. By the time they were halfway through the routine, Josie realized Penelope’s touches were calculated to get a rise out of her. Her every movement was well-practiced, coated with so much assertiveness that it was borderline arrogant. 

It made Josie ache. She wasn’t sure who she was annoyed more: Mrs. Thomspon with her stupid dance routines or Penelope for her unabashed flirting.

“I can see why you like the dance,” Penelope’s tone was so cocky Josie wished she could do something to disarm her. 

“Left hand up!”

Penelope deliberately moved closer to her face, Josie could practically feel her breath hot on her neck. 

Penelope hummed. “Near-touches are intimate, alright.” 

“Why do you have to be…so flirty all the time?” Jose whispered, exasperated as blush scorched through her cheeks. She could feel Penelope shaking with laughter.

Penelope tilted her head, considering Josie looking down at her. “If you want me to stop, just say so.”

Josie opened her mouth to retort but thought against when Mrs. Thompson yelled another command.

“Flirt with your eyes!”

Josie wanted to give Penelope a taste of her own medicine but the world, however, had other plans. She would like to blame someone other than herself when she tripped over her own feet, but it was probably her fault…Or Penelope’s. 

Either way, she stared at Penelope hard and Penelope, who was playfully wagging her eyes, had the gall to look startled. Then realizing what Josie was doing, Penelope’s eyes turned darker than they had been before. 

Josie was certain her brain had malfunctioned then and the best course of action it could do was make her tripped over air. Her brain broke down, even more, when Penelope caught her— silent and methodical— her hands around Josie as though she was a doll. 

Josie shivered when she felt Penelope’s right hand on the small of her back. The lack of distance between them suddenly made her feel dizzy. She opened her eyes, breath hitched at the sight of Penelope being so near, she could almost feel the girl’s lips ghosting on hers. For a moment, she was sure Penelope was going to kiss her, but the girl stayed frozen in that position.

“Ooh! Very nice,” Mrs. Lilien admired from afar. There were scattered oohs in the background. “But there’s still no touching during this part.”

Penelope faltered, then let go of Josie as though she was burned. Her eyes are wide and serious. There was no cockiness, not an ounce of playfulness from under her lashes.

She stared at Josie with such raw intensity, Josie had to step back to give her some space.

“Let's just finish the dance,” Josie replied, unable to meet her eyes.

They didn’t acknowledge each other after the dance, but Josie could feel Penelope’s eyes on her the whole time. She tried to keep a straight face, eyes dead ahead like the rest of participants, looking at Mrs. Lilien demonstrating the proper way to walk down the stairs… 

“I need some air.”

Josie blinked hard. She looked around and found everyone else dispersing, Penelope disappeared to the crowd. 

The rehearsal was over. She didn’t even realize.

Hope jogged towards her with Lizzie in tow.

“What an ass,” Lizzie hissed. “She didn’t even check if you’re okay.”

“Are you okay?” Hope asked.

Josie relaxed against the wall, couldn’t think straight.

Her cheeks were burning, still replaying in her mind what just happened. She swallowed hard; mind still swimming with the fresh memory of Penelope’s smoldering eyes. If it weren’t for Mrs. Lilien, she was certain she would reach up to trace Penelope’s cheek, until her hand was hovering over the girl's mouth. She couldn’t stop herself from thinking how those lips would feel against her skin…

“I’m fine,” she exhaled, feeling otherwise.

It startled Josie to see Penelope outside of her element, discarded of the unshakable confidence she always donned. She had never seen her like this. Eye closed, her face marred with conflicting thoughts. 

“Penelope?”

“Hey.” 

No Josie. No Jojo. Somehow, Josie felt hurt.

“We should practice for the interview,” Josie said. She assumed Penelope was still in deep thought considering she inhaled the spliff harder.   
Penelope ignored her. 

“I’m sorry about earlier.” Josie did not attempt to hide what she knew. Her eyebrow twitched and she groaned, rubbing it. “I didn’t mean to...”

“To what?” Penelope coaxed abruptly, looking at her as though she was waiting for Josie to say something.

“…I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable?” Josie asked pathetically. Penelope shook her head, stared at her for a long time in complete silence.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Look, Josie.” Penelope let out an explosive sigh. “I’m going to something that might come off as a shock to you, so prepare yourself.”

“O-okay?”

Penelope made sure she had Josie’s attention before continuing. 

“Hope’s right. You do have a crush on me.” 

Josie burst out laughing. Did she think Penelope was infuriatingly charming? Absolutely. Did she think Penelope was attractive? Sure, everyone in Mystic Falls would agree to that. Was it a crush?

“No. God no,” She shook her head, amused. “I don’t have a crush on you! I’ve always been positive that I just like you because you annoy Lizzie so much. Delusional much?”

Penelope tilted her head, giving her a patronizing look. 

“Jojo,” she said, her smile not reaching her eyes. “You and I both know you asked me to be your fake girlfriend because it’s believable. Lizzie would smell bullshit if you asked someone you don’t like.”

Josie laughed again but stopped when she realized Penelope’s statement confused her.

“Here. You need this more than I do.” Penelope handed her spliff before sauntering back inside. “Be careful, it’s strong.”

Josie bit her lip, holding back a laugh. Penelope was wrong. Entirely wrong about everything. No, she didn’t have a crush on the devil incarnate. She dragged the spliff to her mouth and inhaled hard. She’d worried for noth…in…

Josie found Penelope in the back corner of an empty classroom and her gaiety soared to high heavens; hyperaware that Penelope was looking at her as though the girl couldn’t decide whether to laugh or panic.

She giggled.

“Hey, Pen,” she said slowly, skipping toward Penelope. She bent her head on one side, drinking in Penelope – her slender hands, her neck adorned with red lace, the slight curve on of her mouth Josie wanted to trace, all - as Penelope took a careful step back.

“Hey,” said Penelope slowly, sounding cautious. "You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Josic cocked her head on the side. "Have I already told you that you look insanely hot today?"

Penelope choked. “You didn’t smoke the weed, right? Because I was just teasing you.”

Josie waved the remark away like a cloud of no-see-ums.

"Josie?" asked Penelope.

“I'm fine,” interrupted Josie. "So I was thinking maybe we should do something give us a little advantage."

Penelope’s face lit with excitement.

“What do you have in mind?”

Josie grinned. “We steal the judges’ files.”

There was an explosion of impish glee in Penelope’s face, the type that carried hundreds of mischievous ideas Josie wanted to carry out with her. It triggered something inside her, as though someone had a match, let it spark, and it brought her inhibitions out to play.

“Okay. I’ll find a way to divert their attention.”

“Fireworks?”

Penelope burst out laughing. “No, Josie. I’ll get something safer…Like stink bombs. You pick the lock once everyone’s is gone.”

“It’s a date then,” Then she kissed Penelope’s cheek. It wasn’t a spontaneous gesture; it had more the feeling of something she had always repressed inside. She leaned closer and whispered, “I’ll be in the hallway. Come find me when you’re ready.” 

Penelope gulped huge mouthfuls of air. 

“God, what I have gotten myself into?”


	4. 4

Lizzie looked cautiously over the banisters. The foyer was barren, except for Dana and her posse, whispering excitedly together. In the very center of the group, Lizzie saw the dark-haired head of her least favorite student at Salvatore, Jed Park. She leaned farther over the banisters, suddenly very interested in what Penelope’s cousin was doing with Dana. . . .

A hissing cylinder descended in front of Lizzie’s eyes. Looking up, she saw Josie and Penelope on the landing above, throwing another cylinder toward the dark knot of people. A few seconds later, the strong smell of rotten eggs exploded on Lizzie’s nose. Below her, Dana shrieked in alarm, causing everyone to run out-of-sight.

Penelope caught her staring, and then she winked.

Lizzie was not sure her annoyance at the duo had abated yet, but her nosy nature was now overcoming her urge to roll eyes at them. She sank on to the wall, hiding, and whispered, “What was that for?”

Josie peered down at the sound of her voice, looking suspiciously glassy-eyed. “Do we really need a reason?”

Lizzie’s protective nature arose, so she hissed, “Of course, Jo! Y-you can’t just go out and drop stinkbombs on people!”

They exchanged glances and snorts, and Lizzie realized how she must look to these…ruffians—a stickler for rules ditz whose idea of a good time was watching Dana like a hawk.

Lizzie was about to chastise her twin but kept her mouth shut when she heard a door creak open.

“That’s Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Lilien,” Josie whispered excitedly to Penelope and they hid the remaining party gag behind a hibiscus plant. “Come on!”

They darted down hand-in-hand, squeezed pass the cloud of green smoke, and reached the judges’ office at the end next to the classrooms. Lizzie watched in the shadows as Josie began to fiddle the locks with a hairpin and a nail file. It took her about a minute, and then she was in.

The last thing she heard before the door close was Penelope whispering, “Damn, Josie. That’s hot.”

Lizzie repressed the temptation to roll her eyes.

An instant later Lizzie came out of her daze. She had better get moving; the judges might be coming back with her dad any second. Deciding that she was better off not getting caught involved in her twin’s bewildering shenanigans, Lizzie tiptoed to Hope’s room.

Once inside her girlfriend’s room, she locked the front door behind her. Then she paused. She could hear Hope’s voice from the bathroom, and from the sound of it, she could tell something was wrong.

Hope?” Lizzie called out.

Hope was on her phone, her back to the doorway, her head slightly bowed as she wedged the tiny pink mobile between her shoulder and left cheek. Looking at Hope’s frowning face, it made Lizzie decide not to interrupt her girlfriend’s conversation.

Lizzie inched closer and overheard that Hope was confronting someone, clearly by the upturn of her brows and at intervals as she said “Yes” or “I know” in a tone full of command. Hope trailed a hand on her hair in such a vague, preoccupied way, that Lizzie dropped the thought of ranting about her sister’s peculiar behavior.

“You might want to check the French Quarter’s crypts…”

Lizzie wandered into the bed, did not understand what Hope was saying about but did not ask; her attention had been caught by the wet patches olive-green dye in the floorboards, the carpet puffing out little clouds of pencil shavings every time she put her feet on it and the long, pink curtains smelling suspiciously of paint.

“Someone’s doing a little therapy,” She whispered. These words did not bring her surge of comfort and hope. She picked the sketchpad hiding behind a nightstand, carefully examining the harsh charcoal depiction of the Mikaelson patriarch. Lizzie gulped. One look at the drawing and everything made sense.

“Babe? Did you say something?”

Lizzie turned quickly to see her girlfriend in the doorway, stashing her phone on her jacket. "Hope! That’s my inside voice, sorry.” When Hope continued to look at her inquiringly, she expounded, “I was saying that your art materials are out in the open today.”

A flash of repressed pain crossed on her girlfriend’s face. Hope wandered nervously around the room until finally, she decided to sink on the bed right next to her.

“Hope, what's wrong?” pressed Lizzie.

Instead of answering, Hope screwed up her face and buried it in her hands. A few moments passed, Lizzie heard Hope exhaled loudly and Lizzie decided to remain still, listening, the only sound she could hear was Hope’s breathing.

“I was just talking to Marcel. You remember the guy dating Aunt Rebecca?”

Lizzie remembered him very well. She had once told Josie that Marcel dating Rebecca was weird, and Josie had snapped that it was none of her business. Marcel, who was four years younger than Klaus, was Klaus’ adopted son, and Rebecca was Klaus’ half-sister, and if anyone was going to ask what their relationship was, how would any of the Mikaelsons answer that? And Lizzie had not been able to answer that herself because Josie said that it was _none of her business_.

“Yeah,” she mumbled. “I remember.”

"I just got off the phone with him. Business in New Orleans is not doing great. It's worse than anyone realized.”

“Oh, babe. I'm sorry.” Lizzie still had no idea what the Mikaelsons do for a living, never even properly guessed what it was about, but she still felt awful. “Is it…um going to be okay?”

“I don't know. Marcel’s all by himself in that big house and he’s panicking. Aunt Rebecca’s in New York, still processing Marcel’s sudden marriage proposal. Aunt Freya’s enjoying her honeymoon and Uncle Kol and his wife are still in hiding that stupid diamond…”

Diamond? Lizzie briefly wondered.

“…Uncle Elijah’s exiled in France, mom’s busy in the bayou, and dad’s MIA.” Hope spoke calmly yet Lizzie could tell she was holding some strong emotion back with difficulty. “So, everything’s up to me, as usual. I told Marcel he could sell dad’s stupid paintings he’s hiding in the crypts so he could pay off the dues.”

“Oh,” said Lizzie. “Looks like you handled it well.”

“I did.” Hope’s eyes were fixed on her lap as if she couldn't bear to look at Lizzie. “But I shouldn’t be in charge of doing this, you know? I’m sixteen.”

A twinge of panic shot through Lizzie.

“Hope it's going to be fine,” she said quickly. “Marcel’s is going to get his shit together. He’s probably wounded by that botched proposal, so he needs someone with a sound mind to help him with your family’s business. He—” Hope was biting her lip and suddenly Lizzie felt she had to go on and cover everything in a rush of words. “Your aunts and uncles will help him once they got his calls.”

Hope curled on the mattress. “Maybe that’s why dad’s MIA. He’s probably got tired from all this stupid family drama.”

“Your family’s affair did take a leaf out of Game of Throne’s playbook,” Lizzie said with forced cheerfulness. Hope did not respond but visibly fidgeted so she added, “He might be angry at the others, _but not at you_.”

"If he isn’t, he would have answered my calls and letters,” Hope whispered, her tone turning sour with each word. Her cheeks were redder than usual, almost matching the intensity of her hair.

Lizzie moved closer, dropping a soft kiss on Hope’s head. She beckoned in with her fingers, until Hope sunk on her arms slowly, her body tight with tension. Lizzie wished she could do something more, something more than a hug and a kiss, to make Hope feel less bleak.

Goddamit, she exhaled slowly. This was one of the moments where she wished she was Josie or at least had her knack of sensitivity. Josie was the one with the silver tongue, she could carefully craft a response that wouldn’t send anyone in a huffing disdain. Lizzie was different, she could not quickly weigh her thoughts even if her life—or in her current case, her girlfriend’s mental state— depended on it.

“You’re dad’s an asshole,” Lizzie disclosed without thinking and felt Hope gave a small splutter of laughter. “But he loves you so much.”

“He has a funny way of showing it,” Hope interjected.

“Yeah well, Mikaelsons all have a chip on their shoulders. It’s practically in your family’s genes at this point,” Lizzie reasoned and then cringed inside once she realized the conversation was hurling down in the direction she did not intend to. For some unknown reason, it still earned a reluctant giggle from Hope.

“So, don’t worry about him not showing up, yeah? Because he will. Once he heard how much everyone in Mystic Falls—”

“Because he has eyes and ears everywhere,” Hope continued, repeating their plan.

“—thinks you’re basically an orphan.”

“Which is kinda true,”

“Smart yet miserable,” Lizzie said. “Often isolate herself from her peers. Almost like a lone wolf.”

At this point Hope rolled her eyes, her mouth slowly turning into a smile. “Which is also true, so we’re not technically lying to him…”

“…But still manages to keep a good heart… And! Is hinting that she thinks her dad deserted her to start a new life in Europe, he’ll come running back.”

Hope hummed, looked lost in thoughts.

“Look, Hope. You’re family respond well to emotional blackmail,” Lizzie blurted out and Hope burst out laughing. “Trust me, my plan will work. I will bring Klaus Mikaelson back in Mystic Falls.”

Hope relaxed her shoulders but still looked quite unconvinced.

“How about this? If it doesn’t work, we’ll do something bolder.”

“What? Like arson?” Hope jested weakly.

“Like stuff your mom into a coffin and tell your dad you won’t let her out until he’s back.” Then realizing what she just said, Lizzie mumbled hastily, “Oh, God. That was my inside voice. Sorry.”

Lizzie flushed red. She had the wild idea of throwing herself into the bathroom, locking herself in, until Josie came to rescue her. But then Hope let out unrestrained mirth.

“I wasn't thinking--”

“Shush. That’s exactly what I need.” Hope put a finger on her lips. Her apprehension seemed to melt away as she continued to shake with laughter. “If it’s other people, they’d be treading lightly. Probably say that my dad’s not worthy of my time.”

“O-okay?” Lizzie said, a little confused but pleased to have gotten rid of her girlfriend’s trepidation.

“But you, Lizzie Saltzman, know exactly I need someone who’s not willing to give up,” Hope said with an adoring smile. She seemed five times happier than usual.

“Yeah?”

"Yeah."Hope blushed to the tip of her roots. “Sometimes I feel like the world conspired to make me feel like I’m the damsel in distress whenever I’m around you and you’re my knight in shining armor.”

Lizzie could still feel the heat on her cheeks, so she kissed Hope. When Hope’s lips did not hesitate to return the favor, it started to sink in that Hope had confidence with her plan: she was going to bring Klaus back.

Lizzie never knew how long they kissed. She only knew sometime later Hope’s hand began to wander beneath her shirt. Her breath slowing, she buried her face again in her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“As much as I like where this is going, you need to practice for the interview.”

Hope groaned. “Babe, come on.”

"The plan’s not going to work if you can't impress the judges.”

"I know,” Hope sputtered. “B-but we were kissing and my hand’s going up and--”

“How about this? We play a little game.” Lizzie pressed, throwing her hair back to her shoulders. She tilted her head to the side and added slowly, “Every time you give me a perfect answer, I’ll let your hand wander where you want it to be.”

Hope stared up at her, opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise.

“What?” Lizzie smirked. “Scared that you won’t nail my questions?”

Hope’s eyes ignited with fire at the arrogant sound of her provocation. She bounced on the bed, rubbing her hands together, and wore an expression of a small child expecting a large birthday present. Lizzie felt tingles running down her spine.

“Fire away then, Saltzman,” Hope said serenely, cracking her knuckles in anticipation.

Lizzie found herself daydreaming about Klaus and Hope reunion more and more as Hope’s interview approached. She couldn’t wait to continue their unfinished business, kiss her, and even to stroll across the packed hall back to her room while everyone’s favorite pastime was still rubberneck at them. It would be a treat just to leave the crowded lobby, where half of the pageant girls were throwing daggers at her girlfriend and the other half wheezing insults at each other whenever the adults were kept well out of earshot.

The fact was that the pageant wasn’t nearly as exciting as Lizzie would have expected before her girlfriend experienced it first made her feel disappointed. The judges and the pageant girls were dispassionate to the pageants’ cause, poles apart from the impressive tales of her mom, when then Caroline Forbes won ages ago. By the time another girl made another catty remark about Hope and Josie, Lizzie was beginning to see why Penelope Park never liked the pageant in the first place.

On the very moment she and Hope almost dozed asleep, Penelope entered the lobby, fashionably late as ever. As expected, Penelope was strutting as though she was God’s gift to girls everywhere. Beside her, Josie looked…phenomenal. She was holding her head high, with an absence of shyness Lizzie never saw before. To say at least that the two were oozing with so much swagger was an understatement. They looked like a power couple.

Lizzie hated them instantly.

Penelope stopped in front of her. “Hey Lizzie, mind if I join you?”

“Yes,” said Lizzie sullenly.

“Too bad,” sneered Penelope as she sat beside her, as though they were suddenly best friends and Josie didn’t wage perpetual war on winning the crown. Unconcerned with the sudden brazen display of camaraderie, Hope began to exchange gossip with Josie.

“Josie and I went to the library to practice for her interview.” Penelope continued happily. “But then Josie said she doesn’t feel like stressing about it.”

“Y-You didn't want? Okay. That's fine, I think.”

The school’s library was the most popular ‘make out’ spot at Salvatore. Lizzie resisted the temptation to barf, remembering that Josie had refrained from doing so after she caught Lizzie and Hope kissing feverishly in between the shelves of the forbidden section. She figured she owed her twin that much.

“So we went out bought this,” Penelope waved a pink slush under her nose. “Want one?”

“Are you being brainwashed right now, Satan? We’re not friends.” Lizzie hissed. “And when did you become so pathologically cheerful?”

Penelope waved a dismissive hand. “So, what’s your plan?”

Lizzie rolled her eyes dramatically; couldn’t believe Penelope dared to ask her about her plan. Last time she checked, the mere thought of her and Hope vying for the crown sent Josie in a huffing fit. Surely, Penelope wouldn’t want to talk about that? But Penelope began to watch her and Hope as though they were an interesting television program. So she decided to bite.

“Why do you care?” Lizzie asked, suddenly curious.

Penelope leaned over her, one hand on the back of the chair, and Lizzie caught the scent of some strong herbal perfume. Penelope whispered conspiratorially, “I just want to know if it fits the judges' list of desirable traits for Miss Mystic Falls.”

Lizzie froze. “Um…What list?”

“Shh! Not so loud!” Lizzie felt embarrassed blood rise to her cheeks. She leaned closer, listening. “Remember when you saw me and Jojo earlier? We stole—”

"_You what?!”_

“Shh! They have this checklist and if a pageant girl doesn’t tick all of the boxes they’d pretty much wouldn’t care." Penelope explained. "Like that Stoteraux girl. The judges just took a nap and let her drone on and on.” 

Lizzie nodded, having heard of what happened to Sasha. Penelope tapped her chin, looking sly and cheery, as though perfectly aware that Lizzie was closed to hyperventilating, and she liked it.

“So what do they want?” Lizzie whispered.

“They want someone smart, but not super smart so other girls could relate to the winner, you know? Then there’s something about being a social butterfly. And! A big yes if they’re from a really happy family. Mrs. Lilien thinks it’s good for the town’s publicity.”

Shit.

Fuck.

Panic surged through Lizzie’s body. She was dizzy, disoriented. The whole point of Hope joining, them exaggerating her accolades, was to create a buzz and the interview was supposed to encourage a roaring trade for everyone to feverishly discuss nothing but Hope. That way, Klaus Mikaelson would be forced to listen.

Now, it felt as though her whole plan was designated to make her girlfriend looked like a total loser. Penelope slurped her drink, seemingly unfazed by the large vein protruding in Lizzie’s forehead.

“And for the love of God, don’t do PDA.”

“B-but I studied the metrics. I have a binder full of calculations and a decade of research!” stammered Lizzie, increasingly feeling agitated. “I know every answer that could win the judges’ hearts.”

As though reading her mind, Penelope snorted and said, “Oh? You mean the whole smart yet sad puppy thing?” She wrinkled her nose in disapproval. “That’s so_ Elena Salvatore_. No one wants that anymore.”

“Hope,” Lizzie sounded hoarse. “We need a new plan.”

Hope turned and looked at her, those clear green eyes full of concern. “Something wrong?”

Just then Mrs. Thompson came out of the office with Dana, ushering the other pageant girls to stay back in line.

“Hope Mikaelson, you’re up.”

Hope dropped a quick kiss on Lizzie's mouth. For a fleeting moment, Lizzie saw a gleam of disapproval on Mrs. Thompson’s eyes.

Don’t do PDA, Lizzie remembered Penelope saying.

Shit. 

“I’ll see you in my room, okay?”

Lizzie nodded with a strained smile, her insides telling her to run and scream at the woods.

A group of Mystic Falls students squashed themselves to the crowd that forcing their way up the staircase. One of them perked up at the sight of Lizzie, and in reflex, she smiled at them. The blonde boy nudged a student she recognized, Pedro Bennett, and whispered something in his ear.

“I want to see Hope win, you know?” Lizzie heard him sigh. “But I heard Hope bombed the interview.”

Pedro looked forlorn and stole a guilty look at Lizzie, who felt the smile slide off her face in an instant.

“Looks like Josie’s going to take the crown.”

Lizzie made her way out of the foyer alone, doing everything she could to ignore more whispering about Josie's impending win as she passed. She kept her eyes fixed ahead as she elbowed her way up and had soon left most of the crowd behind.

She had been stupid not to expect this, she thought furiously as she walked through the upstairs corridors. Of course, Hope bombed the interview; her dead weight of a plan dragged Hope down to deepest trenches of humiliation. 

Landon and Rafael whizzed past her and were in the process of covering the walls with pageant posters. They had been talking enthusiastically as Lizzie rounded on the corner but stopped abruptly the moment they saw her. Lizzie wondered whether they had been talking about Hope’s interview too, then whether she was being more than her paranoid self.

“Good luck,” Landon mumbled as he made a meal of ensuring that his poster of Support Josie Saltzman was quite straight.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“N-nothing!” Landon squawked, looking at her wildly then Raf for an explanation to her sudden outburst. “I wasn’t implying anything. Lizzie, come on! Hope’s capable of winning…”

She reached her room and slammed the door shut.

She stripped off her sweater, stuffed it angrily into her hamper and pulled on her nightgown. She was sick of it: sick of Hope being dragged down because of her. If any of them had the faintest idea what it felt like to be one responsible for Hope’s downfall…what it felt like to be the incompetent twin…

God, she thought blinking back tears, if it were Josie Hope was dating; they’d probably come up with a better plan than petty emotional blackmail. Come to think of it, Klaus had a soft spot for Josie. He would probably show up if Josie just begged him to.

She got into bed and made to pull the blanket, but before she could do so, the door flew open.

“Aren’t you supposed to be with your girlfriend?” Lizzie and Josie both said in unison.

Josie fumed, bending over her bed trying to retrieve her slippers, went oddly still at the sound of Lizzie’s sniffle. Lizzie knew she was listening hard.

“I just want to be alone right now.” Lizzie found herself mumbling, tugging her blanket over her chest.

There was a pregnant pause.

“Me too,” sighed Josie.

Lizzie’s stomach gave a funny jolt. She hadn’t talked to her twin, without realizing it, for almost a day.

“Something on your mind?” She heard Josie asked.

She chewed her lip sullenly. She could see Josie’s pout, but she was determined not to ask or cry to her for help. But if she asked, if she had thought about it, would Hope still like her even if she wasn’t the one who could bring Klaus back to Mystic Falls?

Don’t think like that, said a small voice (akin to Hope’s) inside her head.

Hope would still choose you, though, Lizzie argued with herself. Josie wasn’t there when thirteen-year-old Hope needed a friend. She didn't get rid of all those nightmares Hope had when she fled New Orleans. She wasn’t in that bed with Hope, the night she found out Roman schemed against her family… And she wasn’t the one who spent all those nights talking about Landon’s mommy issues.

Lizzie stared at her twin’s silhouette, remembering the students talking on the first day of the pageant.

_“No one in their right mind would date Josie. She’s too boring.”_

Lizzie gave a small snort of laughter. A moment later she felt ashamed, sickened with herself.

“You know you can trust me, right?” Josie asked. “I know things are rocky right now and I can’t blame you for not talking to me, but I’m here for you Liz.”

Lizzie could feel her breath slowing down. She blinked back tears and looked at Josie’s worried face. She remembered the warm glow of Josie’s smile when she told her weeks ago she was glad they were back to binge-watching Gossip Girl. It was the same smile Josie had when she told her that they _were going to try not to put Hope between them_.

“Josie, I’m going to tell you something important,” Lizzie said in a rush. “So don’t laugh.”

“Oh. Okay, ” Josie perked up. “me too.”

Lizzie stared at her, still breathing deeply, then opened her mouth but no sound came out. Josie was doing the same thing. There was a long pause, broken only by Josie’s long drawn out sigh, and then finally both spoke at the same time:

“I’m not dating Penelope Park.”

“I’m helping Hope to see her dad again.”

_“Wait, what?”_ They both said in unison.


	5. Josie

“So how was it?” Josie asked. Beside her, Lizzie smiled coyly and took a clumsy mouthful of coffee.

Josie had waited until three in the morning to make _the calls_. It had been a terrible night, it was full of long periods of Lizzie’s crying and then apologizing for harboring resentment, shouting at the woods, and then crying some more while overthinking about Hope’s pageant career. At three in the morning, Josie realized her twin was finally asleep; tired from devising a better plan to lull Hope’s father back into the town. She had intended to wait until morning, but fear she would not be able to reach him had propelled her to make the calls early.

She punched his phone number, then hesitated, until finally decided to make a conference call with all of the Mikaelsons instead. If Klaus decided not to come, waves of anger had surged inside her at the mere thought of the Mikaelson patriarch; Hope better damn well surrounded by her other family members.

The conversation ran to almost an hour and involved silence from the Mikaelsons, which grew longer and more pregnant until finally, Kol interrupted her heated spiel, saying that they were already on the way to school once they got wind of Hope’s interview. Josie would like to think the conversation ended on a friendly note but she heard someone sniffle and she was certain it was not her sister.

She remembered then, before sleep took her at six in the morning, how their bedroom burst open and a squealing Hope hugged a bleary-eyed Lizzie, and a flurry of tall, devastatingly, beautiful people, lurked on the doorsill.

“Babe, they’re here!” Hope dropped wet kisses on Lizzie’s cheeks. Lizzie had a confused look on her face as though she was yet to realize she was not dreaming.

Josie noticed Elijah Mikaelson first, with his handsome face half-hidden behind a cup of coffee. Kol came behind him, barefooted, and had loafers on his hands, but nobody seemed to care. She caught the silhouettes of Freya, Rebekah, and Marcel in the hallway. Behind them, two people raised their hands in greeting. Josie peered over and saw people she had never met before, though she knew immediately who they must be: Keelin and Davina, the newest addition to the Mikaelson family.

“Hey, everyone! This is my amazing girlfriend, Lizzie Saltzman.”

With a hasty farewell from Lizzie and no word whatsoever from the Mikaelsons, Lizzie permitted herself to be shepherded out of the room by Hope. Just before the door had swung shut behind the crowd, Lizzie looked back and mouthed: _what did you do?_

Bleary-eyed, Josie mouthed back: _that’s all you. _ For a moment, Josie caught her twin’s eyes gleam with victory.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Lizzie swooned now. Her coffee trickled from the corners of her mouth down the sides of her chin, and Josie mopped her face with her sleeve. “God, Josie. I can’t even explain how _it feels_.”

Josie rolled her eyes playfully. “You can start by using words, Lizzie. Come on, use adjectives.”

“The only word I can think of is… Divine. Yeah, that’s it. It’s super divine.”

Josie laughed outright.

“Hearing Hope say I love you is divine?” jested Josie, her eyes were twinkling with humor. “Wow, Lizzie. I never thought I’d say this but you’re one hell of a sap.”

“Oh shush.” Lizzie grinned. “If you were there, you would have squealed or something. Picture this: the breakfast was sumptuous. We had breakfast together by the lake, sitting on a blanket under the oak tree where Hope and I first met, savoring truffles and risotto.”

“God that’s so pretentious. The Mikaelsons put an effort to appease you and Hope.”

“That’s what I said!” Lizzie said, momentarily distracted. She took a careful sip of her coffee before gushing, “Anyway, I did not need to be Hope’s therapist to read the signs she was sending me. During dessert of café liégeois…”Josie made a mental note to ask Hope what that was since Lizzie Americanized every syllable. “Hope put down her dessert and fixed me with a serious stare. So I asked her ‘babe, is something wrong?’”

Josie sat up straight, bright and alert in her chair.

“And then she had this whole amazing speech she practiced. But she said she knows that the only thing I want from her is the truth…And the truth is she loves me.”

Josie sighed. “That’s so romantic.”

Very pink around the ears, Lizzie busied herself by drinking coffee. “It is.”

“I’m so happy for you Lizzie.”

Lizzie looked oddly surprised. Still blushing deeply, she turned away from Josie and began to look at the wall. The kettle behind them whistled indignantly. There was a long pause, broken only by the mournful creak of the floorboards below Lizzie’s shuffling feet.

“You are?”

Josie looked at her fingers. It was as though the weight of the last few intense weeks settled in once again— as though Josie were meeting Lizzie for the first time, right after she caught Hope and Lizzie kissing behind bookshelves.

Lizzie opened her mouth uncertainly. Josie knew her twin was about to apologize and suddenly she found she did not need to hear it.

“Look, Lizzie. I’m so sorry for acting like a jerk to you and Hope,” whispered Josie, before Lizzie could say the words out. “I was upset because we’ve always have been honest and open with each other, and you dating Hope behind my back…._it hurt a lot._”

“I am sorry,” Lizzie said.

“I know you are, Liz,” said Josie. “You told me that a million times and you spent _weeks_ to make up with me and… all I did is distance myself from you and my best friend. I should have respected your decision to keep things private.”

Josie felt a surge of relief at hearing the words tumble out of her mouth. And so before she knew it, she was hugging Lizzie. Lizzie’s hands folded around her back, drawing her in closer.

It felt like coming home.

“You and Hope are so perfect for each other. I’m happy for both of you.”

Lizzie burst into tears. “God, Josie. Who’s the sap now?”

Josie had begun to cry in earnestly with tears sliding down her cheeks and onto her T-shirt. She swallowed and closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

“Still you, Lizzie. Still you,” she laughed.

Over the next few hours, Josie could not help noticing that there was one person in Mystic Falls, who did not seem wholly overjoyed that she and Lizzie had finally and truly made up. Penelope had put on a very good show of happiness on first hearing the news – Hope confided her with a barrage of texts and calls— pleased that Josie and Hope could, at last, spend time together, however, she seemed moodier than before, pretty much avoided Josie at all cost.

This, Josie confided to Hope and Lizzie, while they sort out their dresses for the pageant later on.

“She’s being perfectly normal!” said Lizzie sternly. “You two aren’t friends, to begin with. Besides, what did you expect? She’s going to be ecstatic knowing fully well that you’re done playing Thelma and Louise?”

“That’s a bit harsh, babe,” said Hope, frowning as she attempted to adjust the hem of her dress. “You wouldn’t want to be the person that got dumped before a major event.”

“I didn’t dump her!” Josie told them indignantly. There was no dumping involved, to her at least, since she and Penelope were never really a couple. Yet, somehow, Josie felt guilty. “I just told her that there’s no sense in keeping the ruse since we’re all friends now. She can still be my escort.”

Hope grimaced. “No wonder she’s been bitchier than usual.”

“She’s always been a bitch,” said Lizzie.

“To you,” Hope pointed out. “I think Penelope’s miffed because Josie’s done with her.”

Josie cringed. Hope made it sound as though she swept Penelope off her feet and left her hanging. 

“Okay first off, it’s not like that at all.”

Hope snorted. The implication of her action was as thick as a custard cream. 

“What? Do you think she has this some sort of hope that they’d continue fake dating? That’s they’re still going to hang out and get high together?” bulldozed Lizzie sharply, her nose flaring. “That Josie’s still going to be _her fake-girlfriend_?”

Hope shrugged. “I’m not putting it that way but…”

“Wrong. Satan’s probably mad because she can no longer wreak havoc in our lives.”

“She’s not that bad,” said Hope and Josie together, but Lizzie merely rolled her eyes.

“Suit yourselves. But I genuinely think that I’m right, _as always_. Satan probably enjoyed the ruse way too much she got confused about whether Josie likes her.”

Hope and Lizzie looked at Josie pointedly, as though waiting for an answer.

At this point, Hope's mom entered the bedroom.

“Still not finished?” Hayley said, poking her head into the partition.

“The hem’s too low,” Hope mumbled. “A little help, please?”

“Hand me the needle,” Hayley said and then she turned to Lizzie, beaming. “Your mom wants you on the phone.”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” said Lizzie, as Hope and Hayley left the room, mumbling about asking for Freya’s help. She dropped her smile once the two were out of earshot. “Well?”

“Well what?” asked Josie sulkily, looking anywhere but Lizzie.

“Do you like Penelope or not?”

Not Satan. Just Penelope. Josie knew immediately that Lizzie meant business.

Without waiting for a reply, Lizzie said, “You know what? Don’t answer that if you don’t want to.”

Josie felt an inexpressible sense of gratitude to Lizzie for not forcing her to reply. It wasn’t as though she didn’t want to; but the thought of saying it out loud, the idea of reliving Penelope’s smile, fleeting touches, was more than she could stand.

“Mom’s waiting for you,” mumbled Josie as she could not think of anything to reply. “You should probably get that before she hangs up.”

Lizzie looked slightly perturbed. She stared at Josie for a few seconds and then rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying I know it for a long time, because I don’t. Like, you had a brief thing for Raf when you saw him punch Jed on the mouth.”

“Jed deserved it,” Josie whispered, remembering the sight of Landon covered with muck from head to toe.

“And then Connor for being Connor.” Lizzie pulled a face.

“That’s a weird time for me too.”

“Then, you were obsessed with thirteen-year-old Hope, with her heiress diva thing going on." Lizzie pursed her mouth. "So, I just want you to know it all makes sense to me.”

For a fraction of a second, they looked at each other.

“But, if you must,” Lizzie said so calmly, so reasonably that Josie considered the implication of her words for several moments, in case she could have misunderstood. Before Josie could answer back, Lizzie walked away.

Josie called after her before she could stop herself.

“You’re giving a serious whiplash. You know that right?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lizzie shouted back in an innocently casual sort of voice.

Patches of the dark orange sky were beginning to appear over the treetops of the forest, but these signs of approaching nightfall did not lift Josie’s mood. On the contrary, she felt anxious even with the presence of Lizzie and Hope by her side—steel walls against the pageant girls who had been eyeballing her— did not proved soothing to the nerves.

“Maybe she’s just running late,” said Hope, whirling around to look for what had become of Penelope. “You know how much she loves to be the center of attention.”

“Do you want me to ask MG to escort you instead?” asked Lizzie.

“She’s coming,” said Josie in a cheery, confident voice that sounded phony even in her ears. “Penelope doesn’t abandon people.”

Then Professor Tig’s voice called, “Pageant participants get in line, please!”

Hope and Lizzie said “See you in a minute” to Josie before walking forward, stationing themselves behind Dana Lilien. Professor Tig told the contestants to wait in the hallway while everyone else went inside; they were to walk down the grand staircase in procession, once their name announced, while the rest of the crowd had sat down.

“Where’s your girlfriend, Josie?” Professor Tig asked.

“She’s…somewhere…”

Professor Tig sighed. “I asked MG to get dressed just in case something like this happens.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she mumbled but the woman was gone.

Dana and Connor smirked at her apparent distress; she looked away from them, intending to look for Penelope. Somewhere behind her, the clacking of heels echoed throughout the silent hall. The sea of students behind her parted and Josie felt her jaws dropped.

It was Penelope.

Josie gazed at her in flattering disbelief. Penelope was wearing _trousers_. Josie could practically feel Mrs. Lilien’s disapproving stare at the back of their heads, at the sight of Penelope’s silky black trousers and chest-slit top that screamed with provocative sensual flair. But Penelope looked as though she did not care. The glares aimed at her seemed to do nothing but intensify her confidence tenfold. 

Penelope grinned at her. There was a mischievous glint on her eyes and Josie understood what it meant: she specifically dressed that way to challenge the school, heck, the entire pageant’s dress code.

Josie did not know whether to laugh or cry. All she knew was that she felt as though she had never breathed properly before. She took a deep, steadying breath and smiled back.

“I might have convinced MG to sit this one out,” said Penelope and all Josie could do was a nod. Her tongue felt heavy inside her mouth. “So you’re stuck with me.”

“Where have you been?” asked Josie once she recovered. She caught a whiff of spirits in her breath. “And why do you smell like a bar?”

“Drinking my sorrows with Landon.” she hiccupped. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

“I do?”

Penelope gave her a sad smile. “You are so beautiful, it hurts me sometimes.”

Josie blushed, concentrating on not tripping over her feet. Up ahead, Hope and Lizzie seemed to be enjoying themselves; they were beaming around at everybody, waving at the Mikaelsons who bulldozed their way in front of the crowd.

“Riddle me, what’s the plan now?” asked Penelope once she saw where Josie was looking at. There was an edge on her voice, as though she was swallowing some biting comments. “Let me guess: you had to make it into contention to this point, the final event, so you could take a literal fall and take out Hope's closest competitor. Klaus will probably show up if he heard Hope won the crown.”

“There’s no plan,” explained Josie with a patient air. “We’re going to finish this pageant with dignity and grace.”

“For real?” Penelope sounded as though she could not believe what she was hearing. She let out an explosive sigh. “Because if you want to proceed with what I just said, I can tell you who’s running for the top three. Just say the word.”

“Is that all you care about?” asked Josie, well aware that she was echoing her twin’s words. “Creating chaos wherever you go?

Penelope snorted.

“Of course not, I care about you too.”

Josie blushed furiously.

“Well if you care about me, you’d sit this one out,” said Josie slowly. “Let’s just finish this pageant, okay?”

Penelope tilted her head slowly, “And then?”

Josie gulped. She paused and her eyes fell upon Penelope’s inquisitive face.

“Then we go separate ways,” she said and she insides felt as though it was filled with shards of glass. Penelope bit her lip; Josie could tell from her glum expression that the prospect of ending their faux relationship was not one that she found inviting. “The moment they announce the winner, everything’s back to normal. You’d go back to Mystic Falls High and I’ll stay here, then spend the rest of our lives at a distance from each other. That’s our plan, remember?”

After a slightly awkward pause, Penelope groaned, “Screw that. That plan sucks.”

“Penelope,” Josie chastised.

“What? It’s boring.”

“It’s _rational_.”

For a moment, Penelope screwed her eye shut. “Is that what you want?”

The truth was, Josie was not certain anymore. The last few days with Penelope had been her bests, despite being fueled with nothing but bitterness, revenge, and that mind addled haze that was Penelope’s strong stash of weed.

Going back to her normal routine of spending time with Hope, Lizzie, and MG should not seem dull compared to being around Penelope. She craved normality, the ordinariness, that inch of known stability that was her original state before her emotional turmoil with her twin. The idea of mischief and mayhem with Penelope should have burned itself out.

But it didn’t.

She kept thinking about her. She wanted to look and touch and smile at Penelope. The allure of it now that she gets to spend time with Penelope seemed stronger, more intense.

Crush was such a silly word, Josie thought. She didn't have a crush on Penelope, her feelings for her felt fiercer than a thousand burning suns.

“Miss Josette Saltzman, escorted by Miss Penelope Park.”

“Well that’s you,” whispered Penelope with a soft voice felt like silk on her skin. Gentle. Rich. “Come on, this is your last chance, go down swinging.”

_Go down swinging, _the words seemed to echo on her mind.

And suddenly, all Josie could think of, the thought both excited and scared her whenever Penelope was around, was to the reach up and touch that soft smile playing around Penelope’s thin mouth.

Josie could feel her heart pounding inside her chest. Without thinking, she took a step closer to Penelope, well aware that people whose faces she could not see was watching her. For a fleeting moment, Penelope looked confused then she opened her mouth in horror.

Josie looked away just in time to realize that she missed a step, falling to the unsuspecting Sasha Stoteraux. She avoided colliding with the girl, but in her haste, she slipped. Then she heard herself yell with pain.

It was very dull work looking up bits of her x-ray and Josie was not cheered up when the nurse set her the task of recording her ankle’s ‘pain scale’ as homework. When the door nurse left, she heard someone outside pick the lock and within seconds, Penelope threaded in and sat on the faux-leather recliner at the foot of Josie’s bed, leaning it back, before grumbling loudly.

“I can’t believe they won’t let me in,” said Penelope, tipping a large food parcel at Josie’s bed. A whiff of grease wafted on Josie’s nose. “I’m still your girlfriend as far as everyone is concerned. That counts for something, right?”

“I can’t blame them. Lizzie overheard you saying you’re going to Belgium or something,” explained Josie, slowly opening the parcel. The grease wasn’t as bad as she had expected, however; her parcel was filled with burnt waffles, evidently from the Grill and a tub of strawberry ice cream. She suddenly missed Penelope’s baking. “MG and Kaleb thought you dumped me right after I tripped down the stairs.”

Penelope rolled her eyes.

“First off, I said I was going to get you some _Belgian waffles_,” she said. “Leave it to Lizzie to dramatically interpret what I said.”

Josie supposed, now that her head felt clear, that she had been stupid to realize that Penelope would leave for a sudden overseas trip without saying goodbye. She glanced at Penelope, who looked utterly unsurprised by her obvious apprehension.

“Second, I’m not dumping you,” said Penelope. “Since we’re--”

“--not dating,” they said in unison. They both blushed so deeply that they were the same color as Josie’s runny dessert.

They stared at each other until Josie decided to cough, looked at the window.

“So, how are you feeling?” Penelope looked at her with eyes full of concern.

“Weird, kind of groggy,” Josie mused. “The nurse gave me something to take the pain away.”

“Good weird or bad weird?” 

Josie did not miss the unease in her voice.

“I feel fine, Pen,” she said with a genial smile. “It’s just a sprain, don’t worry about it.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better,” said Penelope. She abandoned the chair and sat on the bed instead, careful not to touch Josie’s feet. “When I heard you scream in pain…”

“And cursed loudly so much Mrs. Lilien almost covered my mouth,” Josie interjected, finally looking at Penelope.

“I thought…”

“You thought, ‘wow, she’s such a loser.”

“That’s not what I thought,” Penelope said. She stared at Josie’s feet, then to her face, and grimaced frustration. “I thought that it’s my fault, somehow. I mean, I’m the one who bombarded you with senseless questions back there. You got distracted and look where we are now.”

“You _did_ distract me.”

Penelope looked stricken. She was still staring at her, drinking her in. Her green eyes were softening with gentle concern. She had the sudden feeling that Penelope might pull her to a hug, without ever saying a word. 

“But not in the way you thought,” Josie continued slowly.

“What do you mean?”

There was no use in pretending now, she thought.

She sighed. “I was going to kiss you.” The words tumbled over one another in a rush, her voice growing smaller with every word.

Penelope’s eyes widened as her face flushed red. Josie was feeling slightly hot around the collar now, determinedly looking anywhere but at Penelope.

“You were?” asked Penelope weakly. There was an attempt to lace humor in her tone, but Josie was certain Penelope was as jittery as she was. “Because for a second I thought you’re going to push me down the stairs.”

Josie rolled her eyes. “Oh, shush. You know I was about to kiss you. I saw it in your eyes.”

“Correction: I was hoping you would,” said Penelope, a grin slowly appearing on her lips. “I thought you leaning in were just my imagination or something.”

“Well, it wasn’t.”

Penelope’s smirk was endearing. “So, you were really about to kiss me huh?”

“Lose the grin, Park.”

“Answer the question, Saltzman.”

Josie rolled her eyes. “And I would have if I didn’t trip over thin air.”

Penelope laughed.

“Well, how about now?”

“Do I still want to kiss you?” asked Josie with a smile.

Penelope nodded.

“Don’t worry about my feelings, Josie. I can handle rejection well…I mean, I would like to think so, but I’ve never really been rejected before. Ugh, that sounds super arrogant, isn’t it?”

Josie laughed outright.

“It is,” she said. “But ask me again.”

For a moment, they both looked at each other grinning until Penelope tilted her head and whispered:

“Us going back to normal, no more fake-relationship. Is that what you want?”

Josie leaned in and kissed her. It was fast, scorching hot, an outpouring of the frustration of keeping her crush a secret and passion and longing about Penelope Josie always kept locked inside of her. Josie had never kissed anyone like that, and Penelope must have not too. She felt Penelope respond to her, how she made Penelope feel so much more alive than anyone else could.

Josie pulled back from the kiss but still kept her face next to Penelope’s.

“That’s what I want.”

“Oh,” said Penelope, in a voice Josie had never heard her use before. At the sound of it, Josie's heart dissolved. “_Oh_.”

“Yep, _Oh_,” said Josie, still pink around the ears. “Kiss me again Park before I change my mind.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Penelope captured her mouth, smiling. It felt as though they had been kissing for a while, still kissing and kissing her, until they were both intoxicated, dizzy, and Josie could feel the heat they made together.

And that was when the door opened.

“Josie! You won’t believe who just parked his Maserati outside! Klaus is—OH MY GOD!”

Lizzie burst inside the room as though she had expected to find Josie alone, and in that horrible moment, with Lizzie looked at them as though she was battling to a raging storm, Josie tensed. For a fraction of a second, they looked at each other, then Lizzie beamed weakly at her.

“Hope just won. I thought you might want to come,” said Lizzie, making a beeline out of the room. “Bring Satan, if you want.”

Josie felt her heart soar. She grinned down at Penelope and gestured wordlessly towards the door. She choked on a laugh, and Penelope shook her head, still smiling.

“We’ll be there,” she yelled to Lizzie.

Once the door closed, she grabbed Penelope and kissed her once more.

“Does it hurt? Not winning?” asked Penelope as they squeezed past the reveling crowd to get a better look at Hope.

It should have hurt.

And yet…

Hope looked as though she was bursting with happiness. Beside her were a crying Klaus, an equally teary Lizzie, and the whole Mikaelson clan who all looked as though wearing an expression appropriate to having been clubbed over the heads. 

“I just made out with Penelope Park,” she said. “We all know I’m the real winner here.”

Penelope laughed outright.

\---

fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To everyone who read and enjoyed this fic, thank you so much.
> 
> ALSO,
> 
> There's still an epilogue after this.


	6. Penelope

SIX MONTHS LATER

They moved swiftly and silently, with purpose, hands hiding a dozen glossy posters just in time for the new headmaster to pass the hall. Hope greeted Vardemus, who smiled back, his hands outreached to properly greet her. Behind her, Penelope saw the opportunity and tiptoed as fast as she could, fastened a print of “Exercise your right to vote!” into the wall with a precision of a machine. The need to form a student council was quite real, but since the resurrected tradition dated back over forty years, no one took it seriously other than the Saltzman twins.

“All right.” Hope sat next to her once Vardemus was gone. She propped her elbow up on the table and rested her chin in her hand. Act casual, she mumbled before whispering, “Tell me about your plan. You're not just going to blackmail every student one day, aren't you? I remember you doing that every time someone pissed your girlfriend off.”

“I'm a new, reformed Penelope,” said Penelope, doing her best to look serious. Hope emitted a choking sort of laugh. “Besides, if I do that, I'll have broken my promise with Josie.”

Penelope never thought of turning into a new leaf when she transferred to Salvatore Boarding School. Kissing behind bookshelves, kissing in the hallways, and perhaps even kissing Josie in front of everyone was her intention when she persuaded her parents to enroll her in the private school. They were good intentions she argued, but Josie made her promise to do the opposite because of the newly appointed headmaster.

Vardemus. The self-righteous old bit made new rules, almost imperious with his spiel of modifying standards of Salvatore. Hope explained Vardemus’ regime her as suppression, outlawing behavior of which he did not approve, some of which were very Umbridge-like, including the very intentions that fueled Penelope, as dubbed by a guffawing Lizzie, to “do a Landon”.

(Penelope remembered Landon blushing furiously then. He told their circle of friends that Penelope finding a way to spend more time with her girlfriend was a noble goal. Penelope secretly agreed. She wouldn’t apologize for her heart but she did mumble that when Landon did the same thing, he was stupid not to notice Hope wasn’t really into him.)

Six months in and Penelope had not properly kissed Josie anywhere on campus. Josie miserably congratulated her for showing great restraint by not putting itching powder in Vardemus’ trousers.

“In other words, find some way to make Josie win the presidency you won't get in trouble for.”

“Straight and narrow.” Penelope searched Hope's face, and despite everything, she couldn't help but savor the idea that there was finally someone in Mystic Falls she could jest with.

Hope nodded sagely. “Unlike the two of us.”

Penelope felt a smile tug at the corners of her lips. “You know what I like about you, Mikaelson? You think just like I do.”

“What a frightening concept,” Hope replied drily. “So tell me what you think of this: Lizzie might know something about what Josie wants, but I probably shouldn't tell you.”

“Josie’s going to tell me anyway.” Penelope looked Hope with a thousand-watt grin. “With enough persuasion.”

Hope rolled her eyes. “Spare me the sordid details Park.”

“Oh Please,” scoffed Penelope. “Josie told me that you were asking around. Do you live off listening to other peoples’ intimate lives? Lizzie can’t be that bad, right?”

Hope’s smile was pure evil, and she whispered very softly that Penelope had to move closer just to hear her. “Park you’re so smug for someone who’s not getting any action.”

Penelope groaned loudly. 

The librarian walked towards them, disapproval all over her face. Penelope hadn't been joking when she said Hope thought like her. Hope could bullshit her way out of everything as well as she could. 

Hope placed a chemistry book on the table and opened it at random. She pointed at the diagrams and muttered straight-faced that the equation wasn’t complicated. The librarian still looked suspicious but wandered off, still eyeing them.

“How much exactly do you know?” Penelope asked, exasperated, and added to herself. “I need to tell Josie to stop telling Lizzie everything.”

“Enough to know you keep on telling Josie  _ it _ needs to be romantic.” Hope choked on a laugh, and Penelope shook her head.

Penelope assured Josie that not taking the next step to their relationship was not included in the precautions she promised not to do. She figured since, with the tyrannical atmosphere of the school and all, Josie deserved more than just a quick hookup after a supervised dance.

“You're enjoying this way too much.”

“Because it’s awesome,” Hope let out a wheeze, almost doubling over in repressed laughter. Penelope felt a vivid sense of familiarity washed over her, recalling she almost had an asthma attack watching Raf read Hope a poem. Now, it was Hope who looked as though she was about to die from laughter. “Who knew Penelope Park would go all soft.”

“It’s different, okay?” Penelope grumbled, well aware of the redness of her cheeks and the heat on her face. But she didn’t mind. 

(And Hope’s not wrong) 

“It’s Josie,” she sputtered. “She’s…”

Hope made a whipping sound. 

“She’s more than special.”

Hope made another whipping sound. 

“That’s so cute,” Hope cooed, a little saccharine on her voice. “So Josie’s not like the other girls, huh?”

Penelope looked around for precaution and then flipped her off. Hope stifled a laugh.

“Are you going to tell me what Josie wants or not?” Penelope felt herself growing impatient. 

“You just said--”

“Just tell me what is it, Hope,” said Penelope. 

“Fine,” shrugged and smiled Hope, looked at Penelope so smug as though she knew something most confidential, something securely clandestine that even Penelope Park wasn’t aware of. “But I’m just going to give you half of the picture.”

“I’m fine with that,” Penelope exhaled, knowing fully well that Hope was going to tease her if she tried to argue for a better deal. “Spill.”

Hope looked pleased with herself. “Let’s just say that Josie told Lizzie--”

“Oooh. What did  _ Lizzie-bear _ tell you?”

Hope pouted. “Leave her alone. She's nice.”

“Lizzie-bear is a nice pet name.” Penelope almost choked on her laughter.

“It is.”

“Ew, Mikaelson. I was joking.”

Hope stuck her tongue out. 

“Look, Park. Let’s be serious for once,” said Hope. “Josie is planning something big after her impending win.”

“Like what?” Penelope wondered aloud, her mind churning. She looked like a girl on a mission as she sat straight; already thinking of ways to get whatever Josie wanted to have. “A party?”

“You do know what’s going to happen when Josie wins, right?” asked Hope incredulously. “Because I remember you and Josie helped Lizzie and I come up with a plan.”

Penelope scowled. “Yeah, I was there. No need to be snippy about it.” 

Hope had the right to be snippy. Penelope remembered spending the entire night making out with Josie while Hope and Lizzie smoked her stash and babbled their way into making a coherent plan.

(A day later, Penelope still couldn’t understand the plan. She figured Lizzie was devious enough to know what she was doing. It would probably work well in the end.)

Hope sighed. “Let me give you a refresher: Vardemus will step down as headmaster when Josie wins. It’s practically inevitable.”

“What does it have to do with what Josie wants?” pressed Penelope. “Does she secretly want me to make her a firework display or something?”

“Trust me, there’s going to be fireworks after she wins the presidency,” Hope smirked. “For you anyway.”

“What are you implying?”

Hope cut her a knowing look. 

There was a pregnant pause.

Penelope blinked at her, feeling adrift.

“Do you want me to say it out loud?” asked Hope, exasperated.

As though sensing the subject of their talk, Josie entered the library and made a beeline towards their direction. She smiled at them, just in time for Penelope to feel understanding break over her in a wave.

_ Vardemus will step down as headmaster. _

“Oh.”

Josie winked at her and it cracked her heart open.

_ “Oh.” _

***

Penelope’s mouth dropped open at Josie’s purr on her ear. “Uh…wait…you mean sex?”

Astonishment prevented her from thinking of a better response. Josie and Hope broke into a silent fit of giggles. Lizzie, who just followed her twin to look for her girlfriend, looked like she wanted to die on spot.

“JOSIE YOU KNOW THAT I’M RIGHT, RIGHT?”

“MISS SALTZMAN! OUT OF THE LIBRARY, NOW!”

Lizzie fumed and exited the room. 

"Of course I mean sex,” Josie said once Hope muttered for an excuse to find markers. “Lizzie’s going to throw a party at the Old Mill after I bag the presidency. I figure we’d do some celebration on our own. That’s it if you want to.” 

Unable to think of a coherent response, Penelope just nodded.

Josie frowned. “You seem fidgety.” 

Josie was reserved and quiet sometimes, but she also had this intensity and confidence that Penelope never seen in other people. Remembering Josie’s brazen act of affection, Penelope began to wonder how that kind of confidence could translate well… in bed. She wondered very much what it would be like for her to see that wink again, this time, just them alone in her bedroom and—shit!

Penelope blushed furiously. 

“No, no, I'm just, uh I'm just excited,” said Penelope. 

“Pen, you know that we don't need to do it when I win, right?”

“I know.”

“But I also can’t think of other perfect time.”

“I know.”

“But if you don’t want to…”

“Now it sounds like you’re the one backing out.” Penelope playfully poked Josie in the calf. She leaned and nuzzled Josie’s neck. “For the record, I want to  _ celebrate  _ with you.”

Josie giggled and placed a hand on her face. 

“I mean, if you want to.” teased Penelope. “Jojo, you know that we don't need to do it when you win, right?”

Josie rolled her eyes playfully. “Shut up and kiss me, Pen.”

Penelope wrapped her arms around Josie, and without further delay, thoughts of taking the next step in their relationship kicked in. She kissed Josie eagerly and relaxed into the hug that had to be the first enjoyable physical activity she had in a week.

“You’re special,” Penelope grinned as their foreheads touched. “So I want it to be special.”

Behind them, Hope began cooing.

“PARK! SALTZMAN!”

“Okay, we need to get out of here,” said Josie between kisses. 

“MIKAELSON, YOU TOO! OUT!”

“But I wasn’t doing anything!”

“PRINCIPAL VARDEMUS!—”

They sprang apart and Josie ran in the other direction, winking once more before she disappeared in the crowded hallway. Hope grabbed her hand and together they ran upstairs giggling, away from a startled-looking Vardemus emerging out of his office. 

“Lose the grin, Park,” sniggered Hope. She gave Penelope a look that said everyone in the vicinity might suspect what happened in the library. “You might as well make a banner.”

With as many times as Penelope had to stealthily kiss her girlfriend in public? Not a bad idea. "You got any pen and paper?…”

***

The chairs had been arranged in straight lines, creating an aisle down the middle of the room. Now that Vardemus was the principal, assemblies meant assigned seating, and naturally, Penelope couldn't sit between a Saltzman and a Mikaelson. Too much trouble, professor Tig once explained to her. 

Penelope sat in the front with Josie, along with another student named Wade who was also vying for the presidency. Lizzie resigned in the back with Hope, her eyes trained to the Machado siblings; both were honing towards Hope like missiles.

When the time came for Vardemus’ entrance, they all stood up respectfully and watched him posture all over the podium, prattling about greatness and untapped potential. Penelope played her part; she did nod and smile here and there until Josie gaped at her…or to who decided to sit next to her.

Penelope’s nose wrinkled at the smell of excess Axe spray, eyes grew larger at the sight of a batman t-shirt peeking behind a tweed jacket.

“Milton Greasley,  _ you slime _ .”

MG didn't notice her at first, but when he did, an amusing array of expressions played over his face. First, he saw Penelope and Josie. Excitement shone out of his eyes. Then he seemed to realize why they were also sitting in front and promptly turned terrified. 

“I feel like I need to explain myself.” MG squeaked.

“You should.” Penelope gave him a sharp poke in the chest with the end of her finger 

“I didn’t know Josie’s going to run for president too.”

“H-how do you not know? All I do is talk about her, MG!”

“Pen, that’s so sweet,” whispered Josie. "But lower your voice, please."

“A-and I’m just a campaign manager!”

“Who’s gunning for the seat then?” Penelope craned her head and spotted the student beaming next to MG. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“Don’t mind them MG, they’re just threatened by our campaign,” Kaleb said, gripping MG’s shoulder. He had his trademark smug grin, and Penelope had a feeling he was about to say something silly. “May the best president win?”

Penelope saw red.

Josie gaped, clearly flustered. Straightening her face, she tried for haughtiness. She accepted the handshake and her sweet smile didn’t mask the venom dripping in her voice:

“You two are so going down.”

***

FIN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all readers who read this fic. <3 <3
> 
> Here's to hoping that Penelope will come back in Season 2.


End file.
